Alec Hsu shows to the camera patches depicting a Formosan black bear holding Taiwan鈥檚 flag and punching Winnie the Pooh at his store in Taoyuan, Taiwan April 10, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
TAIPEI/BEIJING 鈥� Taiwanese are rushing to buy patches being worn by their air force pilots that depict a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh 鈥� representing China鈥檚 President Xi Jinping 鈥� as a defiant symbol of the island鈥檚 resistance to Chinese war games.
China began three days of military drills around Taiwan on Saturday, a day after the island鈥檚 president, Tsai Ing-wen, returned from a brief visit to the United States, where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy despite Beijing鈥檚 warnings.
Chinese censors have long targeted representations of Winnie the Pooh 鈥� created by British author A.A. Milne 鈥� over internet memes that compare the fictional bear to China鈥檚 president.
Alec Hsu, who designed the patch, has been selling it at his shop since last year, but he saw a spike in orders after Taiwan鈥檚 military news agency on Saturday published a photo of the patch on the arm of a pilot inspecting a fighter jet.
鈥淚 wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch,鈥� said Hsu, who owns Wings Fan Goods Shop.
Hsu said he has ordered more patches to meet the increased demand. Customers have included military officers and civilians.
鈥楽肠谤补尘产濒别!鈥�
The patch shows an angry Formosan black bear holding Taiwan鈥檚 flag and punching Winnie the Pooh, with the slogan 鈥淪cramble!鈥� 鈥� referring to what the island鈥檚 pilots have had to do with increased frequency over the past three years as China sends more aircraft into Taiwan鈥檚 air defense identification zone.
The endangered Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity. Taiwan was previously better known internationally as Formosa.
鈥淲here can we get a patch like that! Guaranteed to be best sellers!鈥� Taiwan鈥檚 de facto embassy in the United States wrote in a tweet on Monday.
Taiwan鈥檚 air force told Reuters that while it does not 鈥減articularly encourage鈥� its members to wear the patch, which is not a part of their uniform, it 鈥渨ill maintain an open attitude鈥� to anything that raises morale.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out taking the island by force. Tsai鈥檚 government rejects China鈥檚 sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan鈥檚 people can decide their future.
While the Winnie the Pooh patch cannot be found on Chinese social media, Beijing has also been promoting videos and commentary about its drills around Taiwan.
The People鈥檚 Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command, the Chinese unit that would be at the frontline of any military action against Taiwan, released a video on Monday showing scenes from the drill, set against upbeat music.
The video targeted a Taiwanese audience by using traditional Chinese characters, which are still used in Taiwan but no longer in mainland China.