The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday ruled in its preliminary decision that it may levy a 31.33% tariff against a Chinese industrial alcohol maker because it was dumping its product on the U.S. market at less than fair market value.

The ruling came after Tuesday's similar decision by the department over plastic shopping bag imports from China and two other Asian countries.

Commerce will still continue its investigation into the alcohol case and plans to hand out a final ruling early April.

The petition was filed last summer by Pennsylvania based Penn Specialty Chemicals Inc. against a Chinese alcohol manufacturer, Qingdao Wenkem (F.T.Z.) Trading Co.

In 2003, the Chinese company exported about half-a-million dollar worth of the product to the U.S.

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