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US presidential trips overseas have typically been an opportunity to display the influence of the American nation on the international platform. Trump's week-long swing through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a show of the power of Trump – but also, at times, of that power's limitations.

Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the first four days were an exercise in pleasing a sometimes volatile US leader. It was an recognition that the president, with the stroke of a document, could impose duties and additional actions that have the capacity to devastate the financial systems of export-oriented states.

His sit-down with Beijing's head Xi on Thursday, however, was a completely different scenario.

It was a session of counterparts on the world platform, where the risks for the two powers – for their markets, for their global standing, for the well-being of their citizens – were enormous.

With the Chinese, the president may use his pen, but these moves come with repercussions. They come with a price.

• Trump praises 'remarkable' talks with the Chinese leader but no agreement finalized
• The Chinese president and Trump reach temporary truce as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the initial phase, the president's latest foray into global diplomacy was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a combination of standard economic talks – deals made under the threat of the president's "mutual" taxes – and personal accommodations that at times approached the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, the president gained entry to key materials and made advances toward finalizing economic agreements with regional partners. He also oversaw a treaty that should ease border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace agreement" the president prefers to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's helicopter flew past a landmark tower displayed US flag colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Newly elected Leader Takaichi detailed $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the United States and presented the president a present of a quarter-thousand sakura trees for America's semiquincentennial, and a sports gear and case that was owned by former Prime Minister Abe, the killed past head who developed ties with Trump in his first term.

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

Matching the effort, South Korea greeted the president with cannons firing a traditional greeting and a service ensemble that performed the leader's song and the classic tune – the musical group anthem that has evolved into a political gathering anthem.

Leader the Korean president held an "award event" for the US leader during which he awarded the American leader his nation's highest medal and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Midday meal with the Korean leader contained a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Later that day, the Koreans served the president fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honour with half-dozen global figures attending the APEC meeting.

In the United States, the president may be the subject of "Anti-Authority" demonstrations by Americans who oppose his limit-pushing increases of leader's control, but during his Asian swing he was treated like nobility.

And like the kings of history, Trump visited Korea requesting contribution – in the guise of $two hundred billion in monetary contributions, $20bn a per year, from South Korea to the America, to be allocated at the guidance of the president's government. Approval on the conditions of those transfers assisted in that the tax percentage on Korean exports to the America would decrease from 25% to 15%.

The main event of Trump's Asia trip occurred in its final hours, however, as he sat down with the Chinese leader.

At that location, the influence relationship between heads of the global top two markets was noticeably divergent than the meetings Trump had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Not present were typical ceremony and the spectacle. Lacking armed forces orchestras, no honour guards, missing meticulously designed meal plans marking shared goodwill. Instead, the both heads and their senior advisors were seated across a extended light-colored meeting furniture in a nondescript armed forces facility just off the runway of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

It was possibly a demonstration of the significant risks that when Trump made contact with Xi in the southern port, he appeared