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American leader visits overseas have traditionally been an occasion to display the influence of the United States on the world stage. Donald Trump's multi-day trip through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a demonstration of the power of the leader – but also, at moments, of that influence's boundaries.

Trump's destinations in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the course of the first four days were an exercise in catering to a at times volatile US leader. It was an acknowledgement that the president, with the flick of a document, could enact tariffs and other measures that have the capacity to devastate the economies of trade-reliant nations.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the final day, though, was something entirely different.

It was a encounter of counterparts on the global stage, where the stakes for both nations – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the prosperity of their populations – were enormous.

With Beijing, the US leader may use his power, but such actions entail ramifications. They come with a cost.

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For the initial phase, the president's most recent venture into world politics was uneventful.

Each stop was punctuated by a blend of standard trade negotiations – arrangements made under the threat of Trump's "equivalent" duties – and personal accommodations that at times approached the obsequious.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump gained access to essential resources and made headway toward concluding economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also oversaw a pact that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "truce" the president loves to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's helicopter soared near a famous structure displayed American colors – with a summit in gilded.

Recently chosen Head Takaichi outlined $half-trillion in Tokyo's funding in the US and offered the US leader a present of 250 sakura trees for America's 250th birthday, and a sports gear and carrier that belonged to Shinzo Abe, the murdered past head who bonded with Trump in his first term.

She also became the newest international head to propose the president for his long-sought peace award.

Not to be outdone, Korea welcomed Trump with artillery discharging a 21-gun salute and a service ensemble that played the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the band anthem that has turned into a presidential event anthem.

Head Lee held an "award event" for Trump during which he gave the American leader his country's premier award and a copy of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Noon repast with the Korean leader contained a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-encrusted chocolate squares. Subsequently, the hosts provided the president vineyard wine at an private meal in Trump's recognition with six international heads present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the United States, Trump may be the target of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by the public who disapprove of his boundary-testing extensions of presidential power, but during his Asian visit he was handled as nobility.

And like the monarchs of history, Trump arrived in Korea requesting payment – in the shape of $200bn in cash payments, $20 billion a year, from Korea to the US, to be invested at the direction of the president's government. Agreement on the conditions of those contributions assisted in that the tax percentage on host nation products to the America would fall from twenty-five percent to 15%.

The primary focus of Trump's Asia trip came in its final hours, nevertheless, as he sat down with Xi.

At that location, the influence relationship between heads of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably different than the meetings Trump had with his overseas colleagues in earlier stops.

Missing were the usual pageantry and the display. Lacking armed forces orchestras, without ceremonial troops, without carefully crafted meal plans celebrating mutual national affection. Instead, the two leaders and their senior advisors positioned themselves across a large pale discussion surface in a unremarkable military building just off the runway of Busan's international airport.

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