TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Images of a new Air Force patch that shows a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh have gone viral in Taiwan amid a three-day series of Chinese military drills directed at the country.
China on Saturday (April 8) announced it would hold drills around Taiwan in response to the historic meeting between Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The operation has been dubbed "Joint Sword" and is slated to end on Monday (April 10), according to the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eastern Theater Command.
On Sunday (April 9), the Ministry of National Defense released a photo showing an Air Force pilot inspecting the fuselage of his jet with the patch on his left shoulder. The patch shows a red-eyed Formosan black bear roaring as he holds a Taiwan flag in one paw and the other paw punching Winnie The Pooh, representing Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平).
The top of the patch reads "We are open 24/7," while the bottom says "Scramble!"
In a tweet including the photo uploaded by the Military News Agency on Sunday, it wrote that as the PLA "deliberately creates tension in the Taiwan Strait, the Armed Forces adhere to the principle of 'not escalating conflicts, not causing disputes.'"
It said the military will deal with the situation and focus on training and safeguarding national security at all times. The post said the Air Force is responsible for air defense missions and officers and enlisted members will always maintain a high level of vigilance.
The news agency said troops from the Air Defense Artillery Branch will operate Oerlikon 35mm twin cannon anti-aircraft guns and the Skyguard integrated air defense system to guard Taiwan's air defenses around the clock. It added that the Air Force Air Defense and Missile Command will use Patriot missiles to strengthen air defenses and respond to emergencies.
At the same time, it said various flight wings will continue to perform combat readiness patrols. After receiving their orders, it pointed out that pilots immediately suited up and conducted pre-flight inspections with ground crews.
Their fighter jets then rolled out of their fortified hangers, took off, and carried out combat readiness missions according to their orders, demonstrating their ability and determination to defend Taiwan's airspace.
The patch quickly went viral on social media in Taiwan and netizens posted links to e-commerce websites such as Ruten, where pre-orders of blue and red versions of the patches can be placed online.
The designer of the patch is Air Force veteran and aviation enthusiast Alec Hsu (徐福佑), who started selling the patches last year at his Wing Fan Goods Shop in Taoyuan City's Taoyuan District, per SET News. Hsu originally designed the patches in response to the frequent military drills conducted by China around Taiwan last year and is pleased that sales have taken off since one was spotted on an Air Force pilot's flight jacket on Sunday.
Blue and red versions of the patch. (Ruten image)
(Ruten image)
(Ruten image)
(Ruten image)
面對共軍蓄意製造臺海緊張，國軍秉持「不升高衝突、不引發爭端」原則，以訓練為著眼應處敵情，時刻捍衛國家安全。#空軍防空部隊 擔任防空警戒任務，官兵始終保持高度警覺、加強戒備，無負守護國家安全的責任。防砲部隊官兵操作 #35快砲 及 #天兵雷達… pic.twitter.com/RnkJZmjtAS
— 軍聞社 Military News Agency, ROC(Taiwan)〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 (@mna_roc) April 9, 2023
