The US President's East Asia Visit Includes Deals, Deference and a Significant Final Meeting

US presidential trips abroad have typically been an chance to showcase the strength of the American nation on the world stage. Trump's week-long trip through eastern Asia, by contrast, has been a show of the clout of Trump – but also, at moments, of that influence's boundaries.

Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the initial days were an exercise in pleasing a at times mercurial American president. It was an recognition that the president, with the stroke of a hand, could introduce tariffs and further steps that have the potential to damage the economies of trade-reliant nations.

His sit-down with Chinese leader Xi on Thursday, though, was a distinct situation.

It was a session of equals on the world platform, where the stakes for each country – for their financial health, for their world reputation, for the well-being of their populations – were enormous.

With China, the US leader may wave his pen, but these moves entail consequences. They come with a toll.

• Trump praises 'amazing' meeting with Xi but no agreement reached
• The Chinese president and the US leader establish temporary truce as China adopts strategic patience

For the first four days, Trump's recent entry into international relations was successful.

Each visit was marked by a combination of traditional economic talks – arrangements made under the shadow of Trump's "reciprocal" taxes – and special treatment that at moments bordered on the deferential.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump secured entry to essential resources and made advances toward completing commercial deals with ASEAN countries. He also led a treaty that should ease territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the sort of "peace agreement" the president loves to highlight.

In the Japanese leg, the president's Marine One passed by a landmark tower displayed US flag colors – with a peak in golden.

Newly elected Head Sanai Takaichi outlined $550bn in Tokyo's funding in the US and offered the American president a present of two hundred fifty cherry trees for America's 250th anniversary, and a sports gear and case that came from the late leader, the murdered ex-leader who connected with Trump in his previous administration.

She also became the newest international head to nominate Trump for his long-sought international honor.

Keeping pace, Korea received the president with cannons firing a honor salute and a military band that performed the leader's song and YMCA – the band tune that has become a political gathering anthem.

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

Midday meal with the Korean leader included a "Diplomat's Sweet" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Subsequently, the South Koreans offered Trump vineyard wine at an private meal in Trump's honour with multiple global figures present at the APEC conference.

In the US, Trump may be the focus of "Anti-Monarchy" demonstrations by the public who reject his limit-pushing increases of presidential power, but during his Asian tour he was handled as royalty.

And like the monarchs of ancient times, the president arrived in South Korea seeking payment – in the guise of $200 billion in monetary contributions, $20 billion a annually, from the host nation to the America, to be used at the discretion of the president's leadership. Agreement on the details of those contributions assisted in that the duty level on host nation goods to the America would fall from 25% to fifteen percent.

The central moment of Trump's Asian tour took place in its last moments, however, as he met with the Chinese leader.

In that setting, the influence relationship between leaders of the planet's biggest economic powers was noticeably different than the meetings the president had with his overseas colleagues in prior visits.

Not present were typical pomp and the display. No armed forces orchestras, absent ceremonial troops, missing meticulously designed meal plans celebrating shared goodwill. Rather, the both heads and their key staff positioned themselves across a extended light-colored negotiating table in a nondescript armed forces facility just near the airstrip of the southern port's international airport.

It was possibly a demonstration of the major consequences that when Trump exchanged greetings with the Chinese leader in the southern port, he seemed