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Presidential journeys overseas have historically been an opportunity to demonstrate the influence of the American nation on the world stage. Trump's multi-day tour through Asian nations, by contrast, has been a display of the power of the president – but also, at times, of that influence's limitations.

Trump's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the duration of the initial days were an exercise in pleasing a sometimes mercurial US leader. It was an admission that the leader, with the signature of a hand, could enact taxes and additional actions that have the ability to devastate the economies of export-dependent nations.

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

It was a session of peers on the world platform, where the stakes for each country – for their financial health, for their world reputation, for the welfare of their citizens – were significant.

With China, the US leader may flick his authority, but these moves involve ramifications. They involve a toll.

• The US president hails 'amazing' meeting with Xi but no agreement finalized
• The Chinese president and the US leader find brief pause as Beijing pursues extended strategy

For the opening segment, the president's recent entry into world politics was successful.

Each visit was punctuated by a combination of traditional economic talks – deals made under the pressure of Trump's "reciprocal" duties – and special treatment that at moments bordered on the obsequious.

In Malaysia, the president secured entry to critical minerals and made progress toward finalizing trade arrangements with south-east Asian nations. He also led a pact that should reduce border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace agreement" the president loves to tout.

In the Japanese leg, the president's helicopter flew past a landmark tower displayed red, white and blue – with a summit in golden.

Recently chosen Prime Minister the Japanese leader outlined $half-trillion in Japanese investments in the United States and gave the American president a offering of 250 cherry trees for the United States' semiquincentennial, and a golf equipment and case that belonged to the late leader, the assassinated former prime minister who developed ties with the president in his previous administration.

She also became the latest overseas counterpart to suggest Trump for his long-sought international honor.

Not to be outdone, the Korean government welcomed the president with cannons firing a traditional greeting and a service ensemble that rendered the leader's song and the Village People song – the musical group anthem that has turned into a Trump rally theme.

Leader Lee held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he awarded the US president his state's top honor and a model of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Midday meal with Lee included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Subsequently, the Koreans provided Trump premium vintage at an private meal in Trump's honour with multiple global figures participating in the APEC meeting.

In the America, Trump may be the target of "Anti-Monarchy" rallies by US citizens who oppose his boundary-testing expansions of presidential power, but during his East Asia tour he was handled as royalty.

And like the rulers of ancient times, the president visited Korea seeking contribution – in the guise of $200 billion in cash payments, $20bn a year, from the host nation to the United States, to be invested at the discretion of Trump's government. Approval on the conditions of those contributions helped ensure that the tax percentage on Korean goods to the United States would decrease from 25% to 15%.

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

At that location, the power dynamic between leaders of the global top two markets was markedly distinct than the exchanges the president had with his overseas colleagues in prior visits.

Not present were all the ceremony and the display. Lacking service ensembles, absent protocol units, without carefully crafted menus celebrating shared goodwill. By contrast, the both heads and their key staff were seated across a large pale discussion surface in a unremarkable service structure just off the runway of Busan's air transport hub.

It was likely a reflection of the significant risks that when Trump exchanged greetings with Xi in the southern port, he looked