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US presidential trips abroad have typically been an opportunity to showcase the strength of the American nation on the international platform. Donald Trump's five-day trip through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a demonstration of the authority of the president – but also, at moments, of that power's constraints.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the opening phase were an display in pleasing a occasionally volatile American president. It was an admission that the leader, with the flick of a pen, could introduce duties and additional actions that have the ability to harm the economies of export-dependent states.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on Thursday, nevertheless, was a distinct situation.

It was a session of counterparts on the world platform, where the consequences for each country – for their financial health, for their world reputation, for the well-being of their citizens – were enormous.

With the Chinese, the US leader may flick his pen, but such actions come with repercussions. They come with a toll.

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For the first four days, Trump's latest venture into global diplomacy was smooth sailing.

Each visit was characterized by a blend of standard trade negotiations – deals made under the threat of the president's "mutual" tariffs – and individual concessions that at moments approached the obsequious.

In Malaysia, the president obtained entry to essential resources and made progress toward finalizing commercial deals with regional partners. He also led a pact that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace deal" the American president enjoys to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's helicopter flew past a famous structure illuminated American colors – with a top in gilded.

Newly elected Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi outlined $550bn in Japan's financial commitments in the America and offered the American president a offering of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for America's 250th birthday, and a golf club and bag that belonged to former Prime Minister Abe, the killed former prime minister who developed ties with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the latest international head to suggest the president for his long-sought peace award.

Keeping pace, the Korean government welcomed Trump with cannons performing a 21-gun salute and a service ensemble that rendered Hail to the Chief and YMCA – the band song that has evolved into a presidential event standard.

President Lee held an "award event" for the US leader during which he presented the American leader his country's top honor and a copy of an historical royal headpiece.

Noon repast with the Korean leader featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted brownies. Subsequently, the South Koreans served the president vineyard wine at an exclusive gathering in the president's honour with multiple international heads participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" rallies by the public who disapprove of his limit-pushing extensions of executive authority, but during his regional visit he was handled as royalty.

And like the rulers of ancient times, Trump visited South Korea seeking payment – in the shape of $200bn in cash payments, $twenty billion a per year, from the host nation to the US, to be invested at the guidance of Trump's government. Approval on the conditions of those payments helped ensure that the tariff rate on Korean products to the US would decrease from a quarter to 15%.

The main event of the president's Asia trip occurred in its concluding phase, though, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

There, the power dynamic between counterparts of the world's two largest economies was markedly divergent than the interactions Trump had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Not present were all the pageantry and the display. Lacking military bands, without ceremonial troops, no carefully crafted meal plans marking mutual national affection. By contrast, the pair of counterparts and their top aides were seated across a long white discussion surface in a plain service structure just near the airstrip of Busan's air transport hub.

It was perhaps a demonstration of the significant risks that when Trump made contact with Xi in the Korean city, he seemed