Story highlights The officials emphasized Friday that no final decision has been reached

The potential sanctions package comes amid increased tensions between the two nations, including over Beijing's increasingly assertive national security posture

Washington (CNN) Sanctions against China for cyberattacks on the U.S. private sector could come as early as next week, U.S. officials told CNN Friday.

The package of penalties on individuals and commercial entities believed to be responsible for the attacks has been in the works for months, and a government official familiar with the process confirmed to CNN earlier this week that they were getting a serious look.

Still, the officials emphasized Friday, no final decision has been reached.

Conventional wisdom had been that the sanctions would not come until after Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington at the end of the month. Experts believed the White House was looking to gain leverage by the credible threat of sanctions to bring the Chinese to the negotiating table on the unrelenting stream of cyberespionage coming from Beijing.

The potential sanctions package comes amid increased tensions between the two nations, including over Beijing's increasingly assertive national security posture.

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