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Presidential journeys overseas have typically been an occasion to showcase the power of the United States on the world stage. The president's multi-day trip through eastern Asia, conversely, has been a display of the clout of Trump – but also, at times, of that influence's limitations.

Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the opening phase were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial president. It was an acknowledgement that the president, with the signature of a document, could impose tariffs and further steps that have the potential to harm the markets of export-oriented states.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi on the last day, nevertheless, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of equals on the global stage, where the stakes for both nations – for their markets, for their global standing, for the prosperity of their citizens – were significant.

With Beijing, Trump may use his pen, but such actions involve consequences. They come with a price.

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For the initial phase, Trump's most recent foray into world politics was uneventful.

Each visit was punctuated by a mix of conventional trade negotiations – arrangements made under the shadow of the president's "equivalent" duties – and individual concessions that at times approached the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump obtained rights to key materials and made advances toward finalizing commercial deals with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a agreement that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace deal" the president prefers to tout.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's official aircraft soared near a landmark tower illuminated US flag colors – with a peak in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader the Japanese leader described $half-trillion in Japanese investments in the United States and offered the US leader a offering of a quarter-thousand cherry trees for the United States' 250th anniversary, and a sports gear and bag that came from the late leader, the murdered past head who connected with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the newest international head to nominate the president for his long-sought Nobel Peace Prize.

Matching the effort, Korea welcomed Trump with artillery performing a 21-gun salute and a armed forces orchestra that performed the leader's song and YMCA – the Village People anthem that has become a political gathering standard.

Head Lee held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he presented the American leader his country's highest medal and a replica of an historical royal headpiece.

Noon repast with the Korean leader contained a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Later that day, the South Koreans offered Trump fine beverage at an exclusive gathering in the president's honor with multiple global figures participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" protests by US citizens who oppose his boundary-testing expansions of executive authority, but during his East Asia visit he was treated like royalty.

And like the rulers of history, the president came to South Korea seeking contribution – in the guise of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $twenty billion a annually, from Korea to the US, to be allocated at the guidance of Trump's government. Consent on the terms of those transfers assisted in that the duty level on South Korean products to the US would drop from 25% to 15%.

The main event of the president's regional visit took place in its concluding phase, however, as he encountered Xi.

There, the authority balance between heads of the world's two largest economies was noticeably distinct than the meetings the president had with his international peers in previous days.

Absent were the usual pomp and the pageantry. Without any military bands, absent honour guards, missing carefully crafted meal plans marking bilateral friendship. Instead, the pair of counterparts and their key staff positioned themselves across a large pale discussion surface in a plain service structure just off the runway of the city of Busan's international airport.

It was possibly a indication of the major consequences that when the president exchanged greetings with Xi in the Korean city, he looked