TRADE

U.S. Threatens China With Sanctions: Unable to resolve a dispute with China over intellectual property theft that targets American computer software, movies and tapes, the United States is preparing a list of punitive tariffs the Chinese warn could spark a trade war. Sources close to the negotiations said Friday that the threatened trade sanctions will target more than $1 billion in Chinese products. The goal is to force the Chinese to halt what U.S. officials say are abuses that cost U.S. companies $800 million annually in patent and copyright piracy. A formal announcement of the proposed sanctions will be made today by U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor, according to the sources.