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American leader visits abroad have typically been an occasion to display the influence of the American nation on the world stage. The president's five-day trip through East Asia, conversely, has been a display of the clout of the leader – but also, at points, of that influence's constraints.

The president's stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the duration of the first four days were an display in satisfying a sometimes volatile American president. It was an recognition that the president, with the stroke of a pen, could enact tariffs and further steps that have the potential to damage the financial systems of export-dependent states.

His meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the final day, nevertheless, was a completely different scenario.

It was a meeting of counterparts on the global stage, where the consequences for each country – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their citizens – were enormous.

With China, Trump may use his power, but those steps entail repercussions. They come with a toll.

• Trump hails 'remarkable' encounter with Xi but no pact reached
• Xi and the US leader find short-term ceasefire as Beijing plays longer game

For the first four days, the president's recent venture into world politics was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a mix of standard commercial discussions – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "reciprocal" duties – and individual concessions that at times bordered on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump gained entry to essential resources and made advances toward finalizing economic agreements with south-east Asian nations. He also presided over a agreement that should reduce frontier issues between Thailand and Cambodia – the type of "peace deal" the US leader prefers to promote.

In Japan, the president's helicopter passed by a famous structure displayed red, white and blue – with a top in golden.

Newly elected Leader Sanai Takaichi described $half-trillion in Japan's financial commitments in the United States and offered the president a present of two hundred fifty sakura trees for America's 250th birthday, and a sports gear and case that was owned by the late leader, the killed ex-leader who developed ties with Trump in his first term.

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

Not to be outdone, South Korea received the president with guns firing a 21-gun salute and a armed forces orchestra that rendered the leader's song and YMCA – the Village People tune that has turned into a political gathering theme.

Head Lee Jae Myung held an "recognition ritual" for the US leader during which he gave the American leader his state's premier award and a model of an ancient Korean dynastic crown.

Midday meal with Lee featured a "Conciliatory Treat" of gold-encrusted baked goods. Later that day, the South Koreans served the president fine beverage at an exclusive gathering in Trump's honour with multiple global figures attending the APEC meeting.

In the US, the president may be the subject of "No Kings" protests by the public who reject his limit-pushing expansions of leader's control, but during his regional swing he was treated like royalty.

And like the monarchs of old, the president visited Korea demanding payment – in the form of $200bn in financial transfers, $twenty billion a year, from Korea to the US, to be allocated at the discretion of Trump's government. Agreement on the terms of those transfers helped ensure that the tariff rate on Korean products to the America would drop from 25% to under twenty percent.

The main event of Trump's regional visit took place in its last moments, however, as he encountered Xi.

There, the influence relationship between heads of the global top two markets was decidedly distinct than the interactions the president had with his international peers in previous days.

Missing were the usual pageantry and the display. Without any military bands, without ceremonial troops, without thoughtfully prepared menus celebrating shared goodwill. Instead, the two leaders and their senior advisors were seated across a long white discussion surface in a unremarkable armed forces facility just near the airstrip of the southern port's global terminal.

It was likely a demonstration of the significant risks that when the president made contact with Xi in Busan, he looked