Yusril Ihza Mahendra, the State Secretary and chairman of the Islamist Crescent Star Party (PBB), says Indonesia should orient itself more towards the United States, rather than China.

He said the Indonesian government has to be braver in taking the necessary steps to improve Indonesia’s position in the world and that this necessarily meant forging closer ties with America.

A pro-American position does not mean we have to change or limit the structural direction of our foreign policy, it is only so that we can further our interests internationally.
(Sikap pro ke-AS sama sekali bukan bermaksud mengubah struktur haluan politik luar negeri Indonesia yang bebas aktif, tetapi semata-mata hanyalah demi kepentingan nasional sesuai dinamika perkembangan politik dan ekonomi internasional.)

he said.

On the opposition this policy would likely meet from certain nationalist and Islamic figures and groups he said circumspectly:

We have to see things in the context of international politics and national interest.
(Kita harus melihatnya dari konteks dinamika politik internasional dan kepentingan nasional.)

He went on to say that until the present time the foreign policy direction of Indonesia was unclear, whether it was pro-American or pro-Chinese, and thus it was difficult to visualise and work towards future goals. Indonesia had to take a clear stand considering that the world was beginning to be polarised along US vs China lines, if its interests were to be served. During the Cold War Indonesia stood with America, he said, and he suggested that this ought to be the case again.

A closer relationship with the United States would be of far greater benefit to Indonesia than maintaining the current vague position and also better than one with China. This did not mean Indonesia should look down on China but it took account of the reality of continued US power in the world, a power that was still greatly superior to the Chinese. Allying with America also meant being close to the large powers of Europe, he added.