Winning the Pooh images flood social media as Xi Jinping arrives

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino netizens creatively expressed their displeasure with the two-day state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping by posting images of the cartoon character Winnie the Pooh.

Philippine social media platforms were filled with images of Winnie the Pooh in anticipation of the visit of the Chinese president, whom previous reports claimed to have been infuriated by comparisons of his appearance to the well-loved character.

China has reportedly censored images of the likable bear after a meme comparing Xi with Winnie circulated online. 

The meme started with a 2013 image of Xi walking with former United States president Barrack Obama, which netizens compared with Pooh and his lanky friend Tigger.

Another placed an image of Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with that of Pooh and another friend, droopy-eyed Eeyore.

“Hey Twitter world. Change your pic to Winnie the Pooh if you want to show your displeasure at Xi Jinping’s visit to Manila,” singer and administration critic Jim Paredes posted on his Twitter account. He also suggested a hashtag: #XiJinPooh.

Another account critical of the Duterte administration said changing profile photos to Winnie the Pooh would signify a stand for Philippine sovereignty and in solidarity with the Chinese people’s aspirations for a free and democratic China.

“This is our act of defiance against the Duterte administration’s continued subservience to the People’s Republic of China and betrayal of our sovereignty,” it added.

China has also banned the showing of Christopher Robin, the latest Disney film about Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

On social media yesterday, Filipino netizens accompanied Winnie the Pooh-related posts with criticisms of the Chinese occupation in the Philippine-claimed territories in the West Philippine Sea.

“To celebrate the visit of President Xi Jin Pooh to the southernmost province of China, I’ll use this photo for the meantime,” one user said.

“If I were part of the activists who’d want to stage a ‘rally’ against #XiJinPooh, I won’t do the usual stuff. I’d buy 1,000 Winnie the Pooh balloons and hand these out to the kids near the places he’ll be in and then if police budge, pop it like a boss,” another tweeted.

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