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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an occasion to demonstrate the power of the United States on the world stage. Trump's five-day tour through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a display of the clout of the president – but also, at moments, of that influence's boundaries.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the opening phase were an demonstration in catering to a at times mercurial American president. It was an recognition that the president, with the flick of a document, could enact taxes and additional actions that have the capacity to devastate the economies of export-oriented countries.

His sit-down with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on the last day, nevertheless, was something entirely different.

It was a session of counterparts on the international scene, where the consequences for both nations – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the prosperity of their people – were enormous.

With China, the president may flick his authority, but those steps entail consequences. They involve a cost.

• Trump praises 'amazing' encounter with the Chinese leader but no agreement finalized
• Xi and the US leader establish short-term ceasefire as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the first four days, the president's latest foray into world politics was uneventful.

Each visit was characterized by a blend of traditional economic talks – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "mutual" taxes – and special treatment that at points bordered on the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump secured rights to essential resources and made progress toward finalizing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a pact that should reduce territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace agreement" the US leader prefers to promote.

In Japan, Trump's official aircraft flew past a Tokyo Tower illuminated American colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Prime Minister the Japanese leader detailed $550bn in Japanese investments in the US and offered the president a present of 250 sakura trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a golf club and carrier that came from the late leader, the killed ex-leader who developed ties with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to nominate the president for his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize.

Not to be outdone, South Korea welcomed the president with cannons discharging a traditional greeting and a military band that played the leader's song and YMCA – the band tune that has turned into a political gathering theme.

Leader the Korean president held an "honour ceremony" for Trump during which he gave the US president his country's highest medal and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Noon repast with Lee included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-encrusted brownies. Afterward, the South Koreans provided Trump fine beverage at an intimate dinner in Trump's honour with multiple international heads present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" demonstrations by US citizens who disapprove of his limit-pushing expansions of executive authority, but during his regional visit he was received as monarchy.

And like the kings of old, the president visited Korea requesting tribute – in the form of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $20bn a per year, from Korea to the America, to be allocated at the discretion of the president's government. Consent on the terms of those payments helped ensure that the duty level on host nation exports to the US would drop from twenty-five percent to fifteen percent.

The main event of the president's Asian tour occurred in its last moments, nevertheless, as he met with Xi.

In that setting, the influence relationship between counterparts of the global top two markets was noticeably divergent than the meetings the president had with his overseas colleagues in prior visits.

Absent were typical pomp and the pageantry. Lacking military bands, no protocol units, missing carefully crafted menus marking mutual national affection. Instead, the two leaders and their key staff positioned themselves across a large pale meeting furniture in a unremarkable military building just off the runway of the southern port's air transport hub.

It was likely a indication of the major consequences that when the president shook hands with Xi in the Korean city, he seemed