BEIJING — A top Chinese official suggested that Catholic churches in China should be run independently of the Roman Catholic Church, the state news media reported on Friday, striking a nationalistic tone as the country negotiates a possible deal to improve relations with the Vatican.

At a meeting with bishops on Thursday in Beijing, Yu Zhengsheng, a senior Communist Party leader, endorsed the notion of a self-governed Chinese Catholic church, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. He said spiritual leaders should work to promote the “good virtue of patriotism” and “adhere to the principles of independence and self-management,” Xinhua reported.

China and the Vatican are in talks to heal a rift that began when the party, after taking power in 1949, expelled Catholic missionaries and required Catholics to worship in churches overseen by the state. While the negotiations have gained momentum under Pope Francis, the two sides are still grappling with issues such as who has the authority to appoint bishops in China.

Religious leaders and scholars were divided on the significance of Mr. Yu’s remarks, which came after a three-day meeting of Catholic bishops representing state-run churches from across the country. Mr. Yu is one of seven members of the party’s Politburo Standing Committee, the group of politicians who govern China.