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Presidential journeys abroad have traditionally been an opportunity to display the strength of the US on the international platform. Trump's week-long swing through East Asia, conversely, has been a demonstration of the clout of Trump – but also, at points, of that authority's limitations.

The president's stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the course of the first four days were an demonstration in catering to a at times volatile American president. It was an recognition that the leader, with the flick of a document, could introduce taxes and further steps that have the potential to harm the financial systems of export-dependent nations.

His meeting with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on Thursday, nevertheless, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of counterparts on the international scene, where the risks for both nations – for their markets, for their world reputation, for the well-being of their people – were enormous.

With Beijing, the president may flick his authority, but such actions involve repercussions. They carry a price.

• Trump praises 'remarkable' encounter with Xi but no agreement agreed
• Xi and Trump establish brief pause as Beijing adopts strategic patience

For the opening segment, the president's recent foray into international relations was successful.

Each stop was marked by a blend of conventional commercial discussions – agreements made under the threat of the president's "equivalent" duties – and individual concessions that at times bordered on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, the president secured entry to essential resources and made advances toward concluding trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also presided over a pact that should alleviate frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "truce" the president enjoys to tout.

In the Japanese leg, the president's official aircraft passed by a famous structure displayed US flag colors – with a top in golden.

Recently chosen Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi described $550 billion in Japan's financial commitments in the US and presented the president a present of 250 sakura trees for the United States' semiquincentennial, and a golf club and case that belonged to the late leader, the killed ex-leader who developed ties with Trump in his first term.

She also became the latest international head to propose Trump for his much-desired international honor.

Matching the effort, Korea welcomed the president with artillery firing a honor salute and a armed forces orchestra that played the presidential anthem and the classic tune – the Village People song that has evolved into a political gathering theme.

President the Korean president held an "honour ceremony" for Trump during which he presented the president his nation's premier award and a model of an traditional ruler's coronet.

Lunch with the Korean leader featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted brownies. Subsequently, the South Koreans provided the president vineyard wine at an exclusive gathering in Trump's honour with six world leaders participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference summit.

In the America, Trump may be the target of "No Kings" demonstrations by US citizens who oppose his limit-pushing increases of leader's control, but during his Asian swing he was handled as monarchy.

And like the rulers of history, the president arrived in the Korean nation demanding payment – in the shape of $200bn in financial transfers, $20 billion a per year, from South Korea to the US, to be allocated at the discretion of the president's administration. Approval on the details of those contributions contributed to that the duty level on Korean goods to the US would decrease from twenty-five percent to 15%.

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

At that location, the influence relationship between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was markedly different than the meetings Trump had with his foreign counterparts in earlier stops.

Absent were typical pageantry and the display. Without any service ensembles, no honour guards, no carefully crafted menus honoring bilateral friendship. Instead, the pair of counterparts and their senior advisors sat across a long white meeting furniture in a nondescript military building just adjacent to the landing strip of the southern port's global terminal.

It was perhaps a indication of the high stakes that when Trump shook hands with Xi in the southern port, he looked