Taiwanese Rush to Buy Unofficial Air Force Badge Showing Bear Punching Winnie-the-Pooh

The people of Taiwan, both active military and civilians, are rushing to buy an unofficial air force patch that depicts a Formosan black bear punching Winnie-the-Pooh in the face.

Winnie-the-Pooh is banned in Communist China because dissidents have long used him as a satirical proxy for hefty dictator Xi Jinping.

The forbidden joke dates back to a photo of Xi walking alongside former U.S. President Barack Obama that reminded social media wags of a cartoon that showed Pooh and his lanky friend Tigger walking in exactly the same way. 

The Chinese Communist Party is so irritated by the Xi-Pooh comparison that it has forced foreign cities to banish the lovable bear before Xi paid a visit. Images of Pooh and mentions of his name are automatically censored on China’s tightly controlled social media platforms. China even banned a recent low-budget horror movie because the monster was a psychopathic version of Winnie-the-Pooh.

According to Channel News Asia (CNA), the viral patch sensation began during Communist China’s obnoxious military exercises over the weekend. The show of force was intended to intimidate the Taiwanese after President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California last Wednesday.

Taiwan carefully monitored the Chinese exercises, which included simulated rocket attacks on the island and warplanes coming disturbingly close to Taiwanese airspace. One of the photos published by the Defense Ministry showed a Taiwanese pilot inspecting a fighter jet. The Winnie-the-Pooh badge was clearly visible on his jacket. 

“The endangered Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity. Taiwan was previously better known internationally as Formosa,” CNA helpfully explained. For the benefit of anyone who missed these tidbits of history and zoology, the Formosan bear on the patch is waving a Taiwanese flag while he punches Pooh’s lights out.

The feisty jacket patches were actually created last year after McCarthy’s predecessor Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan and China responded with an even larger military exercise. Another variation of the patch shows the Formosan bear punching out a panda, an animal that serves as China’s national mascot. 

Taiwanese pilots are kept very busy responding to China’s intimidating military exercises and airspace incursions. Some analysts believe China’s constant provocations are intended to exhaust and demoralize the much smaller Taiwanese military, a tactic known as “gray-zone warfare.” One variation of the patch includes the slogan “Scramble!”, as Taiwan’s pilots are ordered to do when Chinese planes penetrate the island’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The photo of the patch-wearing pilot released by the Defense Ministry touched off a frenzy on Taiwanese social media. Even the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), the unofficial Taiwanese embassy to the United States, joined in the fun:

The patches have indeed become best-sellers, according to designer Alec Hsu. Hsu told CNA he is making more patches to meet surging demand, including international orders and restock requests from third-party vendors. According to one Internet retailer, a significant number of orders have been placed for the patch by customers in Hong Kong, and even in mainland China.

“It’s amazing. It’s the happiest thing in recent days,” one post from a Facebook fan declared.

“Wear this to go through Chinese customs,” suggested another. That would be especially amusing because China puts a great deal of effort into luring Taiwanese youth to visit China and consider jobs or education there.

Asked by foreign journalists if the Pooh patches violated uniform codes, the Taiwanese air force replied that it does not “particularly encourage” its personnel to wear them, but will “maintain an open attitude” toward those who choose to do so.