(Reuters) - The United States is preparing to sanction Chinese companies connected to the cyber theft of U.S. intellectual property as early as next week, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
The FT cited three U.S. officials as saying the sanctions probably would come next week in advance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit later in the month.
Suspicions that Chinese hackers were behind a series of data breaches in the United States have been an irritant in relations between the United States and China.
(Writing by Bill Trott; Editing by Sandra Maler)
