STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The Chinese government is telling state-owned enterprises to end their relationships with American consulting firms. This is according to the Financial Times. The move will hit major firms like McKinsey & Company and the Boston Consulting Group. The decision comes just days after the United States charged five Chinese military officers with hacking American companies. The FT quotes senior government officials as saying, "China fears that consulting companies may be providing Chinese trade secrets to the United States." Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.