Bestselling Taiwan Patch Shows Formosan Bear Punching Xi Jinping

Taiwanese are rushing to buy patches being worn by their air force pilots that depict a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh – representing China’s leader Xi Jinping – as a defiant symbol of the island’s resistance to Chinese military exercises, Reuters reported.

Photo Insert: The endangered Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity.

Chinese censors have long targeted representations of Winnie the Pooh – created by British author A.A. Milne – over internet memes that compare the fictional bear to China’s leader.

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’s military news agency on Saturday published a photo of the patch on the arm of a pilot inspecting a fighter jet.

“I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch,” said Hsu, who owns Wings Fan Goods Shop, Brad Lendon also reported for CNN.

Hsu said he has ordered more patches to meet the increased demand. Customers have included military officers and civilians.

The patch shows an angry Formosan black bear holding Taiwan’s flag and punching Winnie the Pooh, with the slogan “Scramble!” – referring to what the island’s pilots have had to do with increased frequency over the past three years as China sends more aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone – a self-declared buffer that extends beyond the island’s airspace.

The endangered Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity. Taiwan was previously better known internationally as Formosa.

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