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US presidential trips internationally have typically been an chance to display the influence of the United States on the international platform. The president's five-day trip through eastern Asia, by contrast, has been a demonstration of the clout of Trump – but also, at moments, of that power's constraints.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in pleasing a occasionally volatile US leader. It was an recognition that Trump, with the signature of a document, could introduce duties and additional actions that have the capacity to devastate the financial systems of export-dependent countries.

His sit-down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the last day, though, was a distinct situation.

It was a meeting of equals on the world platform, where the risks for each country – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the prosperity of their people – were immense.

With the Chinese, the president may wave his pen, but these moves involve consequences. They come with a toll.

• Trump describes 'remarkable' talks with Xi but no agreement finalized
• Xi and the US leader find short-term ceasefire as Beijing plays longer game

For the initial phase, the president's most recent entry into world politics was successful.

Each visit was characterized by a combination of standard economic talks – agreements made under the shadow of the president's "mutual" duties – and personal accommodations that at points approached the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump secured access to critical minerals and made headway toward finalizing trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a treaty that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace deal" the American president enjoys to promote.

In Japan, the president's Marine One soared near a famous structure displayed red, white and blue – with a top in Trumpian gold.

Freshly appointed Leader Sanai Takaichi outlined $half-trillion in Japan's financial commitments in the United States and presented the American president a offering of a quarter-thousand sakura trees for the United States' 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and bag that belonged to Shinzo Abe, the murdered ex-leader who connected with Trump in his first term.

She also became the most recent foreign leader to suggest Trump for his long-sought international honor.

Not to be outdone, Korea welcomed the president with artillery firing a honor salute and a service ensemble that played Hail to the Chief and the Village People song – the band anthem that has turned into a presidential event standard.

Head the Korean president held an "recognition ritual" for Trump during which he awarded the US president his country's highest medal and a replica of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with Lee contained a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gilded chocolate squares. Subsequently, the South Koreans provided the president vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in Trump's honor with multiple international heads attending the APEC conference.

In the US, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" protests by the public who oppose his authority-expanding increases of leader's control, but during his Asian swing he was treated like monarchy.

And like the kings of ancient times, the president visited South Korea requesting payment – in the form of $200bn in cash payments, $20bn a year, from Korea to the United States, to be used at the discretion of the president's government. Agreement on the details of those contributions contributed to that the duty level on Korean exports to the America would decrease from twenty-five percent to under twenty percent.

The central moment of Trump's Asia trip took place in its final hours, however, as he encountered Xi.

At that location, the authority balance between leaders of the world's two largest economies was decidedly divergent than the meetings Trump had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Not present were the usual pageantry and the pageantry. Without any armed forces orchestras, without protocol units, no carefully crafted dining selections honoring bilateral friendship. By contrast, the two leaders and their senior advisors sat across a long white negotiating table in a plain service structure just near the airstrip of the southern port's air transport hub.

It was perhaps a reflection of the significant risks that when the president made contact with Xi in the Korean city, he appeared