Trump's Asia Tour Features Deals, Deference and a Revealing Final Meeting

US presidential trips overseas have traditionally been an occasion to display the power of the American nation on the world stage. The president's week-long tour through Asian nations, conversely, has been a show of the authority of Trump – but also, at moments, of that power's limitations.

The president's visits in Malaysia, Japan and Korea over the span of the initial days were an display in catering to a sometimes mercurial US leader. It was an recognition that the president, with the signature of a document, could enact duties and other measures that have the potential to harm the markets of export-dependent nations.

His discussion with Beijing's head Xi Jinping on the last day, nevertheless, was a distinct situation.

It was a meeting of counterparts on the world platform, where the consequences for both nations – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their populations – were enormous.

With Beijing, Trump may wave his pen, but these moves involve ramifications. They come with a cost.

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For the opening segment, the president's recent venture into international relations was smooth sailing.

Each stop was punctuated by a combination of conventional economic talks – agreements made under the shadow of Trump's "reciprocal" duties – and special treatment that at moments verged on the subservient.

In the Malaysian stop, Trump secured access to essential resources and made headway toward concluding trade arrangements with ASEAN countries. He also oversaw a agreement that should ease territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia – the kind of "peace deal" the American president prefers to tout.

In the Japanese leg, the president's official aircraft flew past a Tokyo Tower displayed red, white and blue – with a summit in golden.

Recently chosen Leader the Japanese leader outlined $550 billion in Japanese investments in the United States and presented the president a offering of a quarter-thousand flowering trees for America's 250th birthday, and a golf equipment and bag that came from former Prime Minister Abe, the killed ex-leader who connected with Trump in his initial presidency.

She also became the most recent foreign leader to suggest the president for his highly-coveted Nobel Peace Prize.

Matching the effort, the Korean government received Trump with guns firing a 21-gun salute and a military band that rendered the leader's song and the Village People song – the band song that has evolved into a Trump rally anthem.

Leader the Korean president held an "honour ceremony" for the US leader during which he awarded the president his country's highest medal and a replica of an historical royal headpiece.

Noon repast with the Korean leader featured a "Peacemaker's Dessert" of gold-covered chocolate squares. Subsequently, the South Koreans served Trump vineyard wine at an exclusive gathering in the president's honor with six world leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference conference.

In the America, Trump may be the subject of "No Kings" rallies by Americans who reject his authority-expanding increases of executive authority, but during his East Asia swing he was treated like royalty.

And like the monarchs of history, the president visited Korea requesting contribution – in the guise of $200 billion in financial transfers, $20bn a per year, from the host nation to the America, to be used at the discretion of Trump's leadership. Agreement on the details of those contributions contributed to that the tariff rate on Korean exports to the United States would decrease from a quarter to 15%.

The primary focus of the president's Asia trip came in its last moments, however, as he met with Xi.

In that setting, the influence relationship between counterparts of the planet's biggest economic powers was decidedly distinct than the interactions Trump had with his foreign counterparts in prior visits.

Not present were all the pageantry and the display. Lacking service ensembles, no ceremonial troops, without thoughtfully prepared meal plans celebrating shared goodwill. Rather, the both heads and their top aides positioned themselves across a long white discussion surface in a plain service structure just adjacent to the landing strip of the southern port's international airport.

It was possibly a reflection of the significant risks that when Trump shook hands with the Chinese leader in Busan, he appeared