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Presidential journeys abroad have historically been an occasion to showcase the influence of the United States on the world stage. Trump's five-day trip through Asian nations, conversely, has been a show of the clout of the president – but also, at points, of that authority's boundaries.

The president's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the first four days were an display in pleasing a sometimes mercurial American president. It was an admission that the leader, with the stroke of a pen, could introduce taxes and further steps that have the potential to harm the financial systems of trade-reliant countries.

His meeting with China's president Xi on Thursday, nevertheless, was a distinct situation.

It was a session of counterparts on the world platform, where the risks for the two powers – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the prosperity of their citizens – were enormous.

With the Chinese, the president may wave his pen, but such actions involve consequences. They carry a price.

• Trump describes 'impressive' talks with Xi but no agreement agreed
• The Chinese president and Trump establish brief pause as China pursues extended strategy

For the initial phase, the president's recent foray into international relations was successful.

Each visit was punctuated by a mix of traditional commercial discussions – deals made under the threat of the president's "reciprocal" duties – and special treatment that at moments bordered on the subservient.

In Malaysia, Trump gained rights to critical minerals and made progress toward finalizing trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a treaty that should reduce border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "truce" the US leader enjoys to promote.

In Japan, Trump's Marine One passed by a Tokyo Tower lit US flag colors – with a top in Trumpian gold.

Recently chosen Prime Minister Takaichi described $half-trillion in Tokyo's funding in the US and gave the president a present of two hundred fifty flowering trees for the United States' semiquincentennial, and a golf equipment and carrier that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the killed former prime minister who developed ties with the president in his first term.

She also became the most recent overseas counterpart to propose Trump for his highly-coveted international honor.

Keeping pace, Korea greeted the president with guns performing a honor salute and a military band that played the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the band tune that has evolved into a presidential event anthem.

President Lee Jae Myung held an "recognition ritual" for Trump during which he awarded the president his state's premier award and a copy of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Lunch with the Korean leader included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Subsequently, the Koreans provided the president vineyard wine at an intimate dinner in the president's honour with six global figures present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the America, the president may be the subject of "Anti-Monarchy" protests by the public who reject his boundary-testing increases of leader's control, but during his Asian visit he was treated like royalty.

And like the kings of ancient times, the president visited the Korean nation seeking contribution – in the shape of $200bn in monetary contributions, $20bn a per year, from the host nation to the United States, to be invested at the guidance of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the terms of those payments helped ensure that the duty level on South Korean goods to the United States would drop from 25% to fifteen percent.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip came in its last moments, 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 distinct than the exchanges Trump had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Not present were typical pageantry and the display. Without any armed forces orchestras, without honour guards, missing meticulously designed dining selections celebrating shared goodwill. By contrast, the pair of counterparts and their key staff were seated across a extended light-colored negotiating table in a nondescript military building just near the airstrip of Busan's international airport.

It was perhaps a reflection of the significant risks that when the president made contact with the Chinese leader in the southern port, he seemed