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.