The Obama regime doesn't seem to have any answer to its critics other than "Up yours, we're doing it anyway! Nah nah, not listening!" That was certainly the substance of his health care address, and in the first major test of Obama's commitment to free trade, he decides to go with Union special interests, and slap on a 35% tariff on Chinese tire imports. In response to Chinese objections, his administration denies 1) that it's trade protectionism 2) that it says anything about Obama's attitude to free trade and says "we don't have anything to be defensive about." So, to summarize: we didn't do it, and even if we did, it doesn't mean what you think, and even if it does mean what you think, there's nothing you can do about it anyway.
Oh, and how are the Chinese taking it? Well, over at Xinhua government news agency, they've created a whole special section entitled

Dispute Between China and U.S. over Tire Tariffs.
There's no space to quote from any of the stories in the section, so I'll just list the headlines:
China files WTO complaint over U.S. tyre tariffs;
China wants talks with U.S. on tire tariff dispute;
China launches anti-dumping probe into U.S. auto, chicken products;
U.S. to restrict Chinese tire imports amid China's strong opposition;
U.S. tire tariff against G20 commitments: Chinese FM;
China: U.S. tire tariff sends "wrong signal" to world;
China strongly opposes U.S. protectionist tariffs on tires from China;
U.S. industries oppose sanction on Chinese tires;
Unite against tire tariff hike, exporters urged;
EU, China pledge firm opposition to protectionism: EU Trade Commissioner;
China's probe "not revenge" for hefty tire tariff;
Tyre case tarnishes U.S. image;
Protectionism no good to anyone;
Analysis: U.S. tariffs on Chinese tires cast protectionism shadow over world economy.
Anyone who knows anything about China could have predicted that this would set off a fire storm of anti-American reaction in China. Wasn't the Obama administration supposed to be introducing a new era of foreign policy which wasn't filled with arrogance and unilateral actions? Well, I never believed it, but apparently some people who voted for him did. This is Obama's "Belgrade embassy bombing" moment ... something that's going to leave a visible scar on Chinese-American relations for years to come.