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US presidential trips internationally have traditionally been an occasion to demonstrate the power of the American nation on the global scene. Donald Trump's week-long swing through eastern Asia, on the other hand, has been a demonstration of the authority of Trump – but also, at times, of that influence's constraints.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the initial days were an exercise in satisfying a occasionally mercurial American president. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the flick of a pen, could enact taxes and other measures that have the ability to devastate the economies of export-oriented states.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi on Thursday, though, was something entirely different.

It was a session of peers on the world platform, where the consequences for each country – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their populations – were immense.

With Beijing, the president may wave his power, but those steps entail consequences. They carry a price.

• The US president praises 'remarkable' talks with Xi but no agreement agreed
• Xi and the US leader find short-term ceasefire as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the first four days, Trump's latest foray into global diplomacy was uneventful.

Each visit was punctuated by a mix of traditional commercial discussions – agreements made under the pressure of Trump's "equivalent" tariffs – and special treatment that at points verged on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, Trump obtained rights to key materials and made progress toward completing economic agreements with regional partners. He also led a agreement that should ease territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "truce" the American president prefers to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's Marine One flew past a famous structure lit red, white and blue – with a top in golden.

Freshly appointed Head the Japanese leader described $half-trillion in Japan's financial commitments in the US and gave the American president a offering of 250 sakura trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a golf equipment and carrier that belonged to former Prime Minister Abe, the murdered ex-leader who developed ties with the president in his first term.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to nominate the president for his highly-coveted peace award.

Matching the effort, South Korea welcomed the president with artillery discharging a honor salute and a armed forces orchestra that performed the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the Village People anthem that has evolved into a political gathering standard.

President the Korean president held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he presented the US president his country's top honor and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Noon repast with the Korean leader featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gilded chocolate squares. Subsequently, the Koreans offered Trump vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in the president's recognition with six global figures present at the regional summit meeting.

In the America, the president may be the focus of "No Kings" demonstrations by Americans who disapprove of his authority-expanding expansions of leader's control, but during his East Asia visit he was received as monarchy.

And like the kings of old, Trump arrived in the Korean nation demanding contribution – in the form of $200 billion in financial transfers, $20bn a per year, from Korea to the America, to be used at the guidance of the president's administration. Consent on the terms of those payments assisted in that the duty level on host nation goods to the America would drop from twenty-five percent to under twenty percent.

The main event of Trump's Asian tour came in its last moments, however, as he sat down with Xi.

In that setting, the power dynamic between leaders of the global top two markets was decidedly divergent than the meetings the president had with his international peers in prior visits.

Missing were the usual pageantry and the spectacle. Lacking military bands, absent honour guards, missing carefully crafted meal plans honoring shared goodwill. By contrast, the both heads and their senior advisors were seated across a large pale negotiating table in a unremarkable service structure just off the runway of Busan's air transport hub.

It was possibly a indication of the major consequences that when the president shook hands with Xi in the southern port, he appeared