People in Taiwan are rushing to buy anti-Xi Jinping badges being worn by their air force pilots.

The patches depict a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh, representing China’s President Xi Jinping.

The badge has now become a symbol of the island’s resistance to Chinese war games.

On Saturday, China began its three days of military drills around the island as dozens of aircrafts crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait.

This came a day after the island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, returned from a brief visit to the United States, where she met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy despite Beijing’s warnings.

Chinese censors have long targeted representations of Winnie the Pooh due to internet memes that compare the fictional bear to China’s president.

‘Where can we get a patch like that’

The patch, designed by Alec Hsu shows an angry Formosan black bear holding Taiwan’s flag and punching Winnie the Pooh, with the slogan “Scramble!”.

The reference is based on what 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.

The Formosan black bear is seen as a symbol of Taiwanese identity and represents the island’s previous name – Formosa.

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Mr Hsu has been selling the patches at his shop since last year, but has seen 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.

Customers rushing to buy the badges range from military officers to residents from around the island.

“I wanted to boost the morale of our troops through designing this patch,” Mr Hsu said.

The badge has gathered many fans including Taiwan’s de facto embassy in the US.

On Monday, it said in a tweet: “Where can we get a patch like that! Guaranteed to be best sellers!”

Taiwan’s air force told Reuters that while it does not “particularly encourage” its members to wear the patch, which is not a part of their uniform, it “will maintain an open attitude” to anything that raises morale.

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