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Perhaps it could be said that xiang qi plays 'smaller' in the endgame and
fide, 'bigger.' 

In xiang qi the battles begin to swirl around the respective palaces,
whereas in fide the king is roaming at large, oftentimes being a key piece
in a player's attack.

Now, there is the cross-board, 'attack' of the king in xiang qi, but to
me that is a small exception to this overall idea.

Yesterday I was checkmated by a horse and a pawn in xiang qi. This could
have been avoided but it is also a common type of lapse on the part of the
defender in that game, at least in my experience.

With the mobile king in fide, you oftentimes need a bit more muscle than
that to accomplish checkmate.

And the promoting pawns of fide are a big difference, yes.

It is so fascinating, how these two games are designed; the distinctive
features which balance each one out.