The Obama administration is drafting an escalating series of actions, including economic sanctions and curbs on doing business in the U.S., to punish

China and other nations that persist in hacking its corporate computer networks, according to two administration officials with knowledge of the planning.

The measures have not yet been decided, the officials said, and the administration is moving cautiously as actions being considered include cyber retaliation, which could reveal

information about U.S. government and private cyber security capabilities. It could also trigger further online or commercial warfare that would be difficult to contain.

The actions under consideration wouldn't be targeted solely at China, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations and classified information. The moves were first reported by the Washington Post.