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US presidential trips abroad have historically been an occasion to display the strength of the American nation on the world stage. Donald Trump's week-long tour through East Asia, by contrast, has been a display of the power of Trump – but also, at times, of that influence's constraints.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the opening phase were an exercise in satisfying a occasionally mercurial American president. It was an admission that the president, with the signature of a document, could impose tariffs and additional actions that have the capacity to devastate the markets of export-dependent nations.

His discussion with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the last day, nevertheless, was a distinct situation.

It was a encounter of peers on the world platform, where the risks for both nations – for their economies, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their people – were enormous.

With the Chinese, the US leader may flick his power, but those steps involve repercussions. They involve a cost.

• The US president describes 'impressive' talks with Xi but no pact reached
• Xi and the US leader find temporary truce as China plays longer game

For the opening segment, the president's latest venture into world politics was smooth sailing.

Each visit was punctuated by a mix of conventional commercial discussions – agreements made under the shadow of Trump's "equivalent" tariffs – and special treatment that at points approached the deferential.

In Malaysia, Trump secured access to critical minerals and made progress toward finalizing trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a pact that should alleviate territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace deal" the American president loves to promote.

In the Japanese leg, Trump's official aircraft flew past a landmark tower displayed American colors – with a summit in Trumpian gold.

Freshly appointed Prime Minister Takaichi described $half-trillion in Japan's financial commitments in the America and offered the US leader a gift of 250 cherry trees for America's semiquincentennial, and a golf club and case that belonged to the late leader, the assassinated past head who developed ties with the president in his initial presidency.

She also became the most recent foreign leader to nominate the president for his highly-coveted international honor.

Matching the effort, Korea received Trump with artillery firing a traditional greeting and a service ensemble that played the leader's song and YMCA – the musical group anthem that has become a presidential event anthem.

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

Noon repast with Lee included a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Afterward, the Koreans offered the president vineyard wine at an private meal in Trump's honour with six world leaders present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the America, the president may be the target of "Anti-Authority" rallies by Americans who oppose his limit-pushing expansions of leader's control, but during his regional swing he was treated like royalty.

And like the rulers of history, the president came to the Korean nation requesting payment – in the guise of $200bn in monetary contributions, $twenty billion a per year, from South Korea to the United States, to be allocated at the guidance of Trump's leadership. Approval on the details of those payments contributed to that the tax percentage on Korean goods to the America would drop from twenty-five percent to under twenty percent.

The main event of Trump's regional visit occurred in its last moments, though, as he encountered the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the influence relationship between heads of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly different than the meetings the president had with his foreign counterparts in previous days.

Not present were typical pomp and the pageantry. No armed forces orchestras, absent protocol units, without thoughtfully prepared menus marking mutual national affection. By contrast, the two leaders and their top aides positioned themselves across a long white discussion surface in a unremarkable armed forces facility just near the airstrip of the city of Busan's air transport hub.

It was likely a reflection of the significant risks that when the president exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in Busan, he looked