Trump's Asia tour sees deals, knee-bending and a revealing Xi meeting

His five-day tour displayed the power of his presidency - but also, at times, that power's limitations.

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Trump's stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea over the course of the first four days were an exercise in pleasing a sometimes mercurial American president. It was an acknowledgement that Trump, with the flick of a pen, could impose tariffs and other measures that have the potential to devastate the economies of export-dependent nations.

His sit-down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, however, was something entirely different.

It was a meeting of equals on the global stage, where the stakes for both nations – for their economies, for their international prestige, for the welfare of their people - were enormous.

With China, Trump may flick his pen, but such actions come with consequences. They come with a cost.