A punch in the face for Xi caricature: Taiwan Air Force badge goes viral

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 President Xi Jinping — as a defiant symbol of the island’s resistance to Chinese war games

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 President Xi Jinping — as a defiant symbol of the island's resistance to Chinese war games.

China began three days of military drills around Taiwan on April 8, a day after the island's President, Tsai Ing-wen, returned from a brief visit to the United States, where she met U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy despite Beijing's warnings.

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 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's military news agency on April 8 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 Mr. Hsu, who owns Wings Fan Goods Shop.

Mr. 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 defence identification zone.