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US presidential trips overseas have traditionally been an chance to showcase the influence of the United States on the world stage. Donald Trump's five-day trip through East Asia, on the other hand, has been a show of the authority of the president – but also, at moments, of that influence's limitations.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the initial days were an display in pleasing a occasionally mercurial US leader. It was an recognition that Trump, with the stroke of a hand, could introduce taxes and other measures that have the potential to devastate the financial systems of trade-reliant countries.

His sit-down with Chinese leader Xi on the final day, nevertheless, was a distinct situation.

It was a meeting of equals on the international scene, where the stakes for each country – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their people – were significant.

With China, Trump may flick his authority, but these moves come with consequences. They come with a price.

• The US president describes 'remarkable' talks with the Chinese leader but no trade deal reached
• The Chinese president and the US leader establish temporary truce as Beijing plays longer game

For the initial phase, the president's most recent venture into international relations was uneventful.

Each stop was punctuated by a blend of traditional trade negotiations – arrangements made under the pressure of Trump's "reciprocal" taxes – and special treatment that at points approached the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, the president obtained entry to critical minerals and made progress toward concluding commercial deals with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a treaty that should alleviate territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace agreement" the American president loves to highlight.

In Japan, Trump's Marine One soared near a famous structure lit US flag colors – with a summit in gilded.

Recently chosen Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi described $550 billion in Japanese investments in the United States and presented the US leader a offering of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for America's 250th anniversary, and a golf equipment and bag that came from the late leader, the killed ex-leader who developed ties with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to propose the president for his much-desired peace award.

Keeping pace, Korea welcomed Trump with artillery performing a honor 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.

President Lee Jae Myung held an "award event" for the US leader during which he awarded the US president his nation's top honor and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Midday meal with Lee contained a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted brownies. Subsequently, the hosts offered Trump fine beverage at an intimate dinner in the president's honor with half-dozen international heads participating in the APEC meeting.

In the United States, Trump may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" protests by Americans who disapprove of his limit-pushing expansions of executive authority, but during his Asian tour he was handled as monarchy.

And like the kings of ancient times, Trump visited the Korean nation requesting tribute – in the guise of $200 billion in financial transfers, $20 billion a annually, from Korea to the United States, to be used at the discretion of the president's administration. Approval on the conditions of those contributions assisted in that the tariff rate on host nation products to the US would decrease from twenty-five percent to fifteen percent.

The main event of the president's regional visit occurred in its final hours, nevertheless, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the authority balance between leaders of the global top two markets was markedly different than the exchanges the president had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Missing were the usual ceremony and the display. Lacking military bands, without protocol units, missing thoughtfully prepared dining selections marking bilateral friendship. Instead, the pair of counterparts and their key staff sat across a extended light-colored negotiating table in a nondescript armed forces facility just near the airstrip of the city of Busan's international airport.

It was likely a demonstration of the major consequences that when the president shook hands with the Chinese leader in the Korean city, he looked