‘Get Them to Understand What’s Going On’: Story Behind ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ in Australia’s White Paper Protest

Aaron, a Chinese student in Sydney, dressed up as Winnie the Pooh in mock of Xi Jinping. Supplied

Those who saw the recent protests supporting China’s White Paper Revolution in Australia may notice the silhouette of a famous bear–Winnie-the-Pooh.

As the crowd shouted slogans of “CCP, step down! Xi Jinping, step down,” in response to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s Zero-COVID policy, Winnie, who wore an official cap of emperors in China’s Qing Dynasty, gave out white paper and flyers to passersby.

“I just can’t believe that someone wants to be the emperor of China in the 21^st Century,” Aaron, who dressed as Winnie and chose to use his first name only, told The Epoch Times.

Inspired by other protesters in China, he ordered the outfit from China and planned to use it before the CCP’s 20^th Party Congress last month, when Xi Jinping, the CCP leader, secured an unprecedented third term.  Unfortunately, the package arrived late.

Origin of the Allusion

Winnie-the-Pooh, a cute cartoon character, is now known by many Chinese as the symbol of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The allusion originated from a photograph of Xi walking with Obama, then president of the United States, in 2013, which triggered comparisons of Xi to the portly bear and Obama to the lanky Tigger.

Winnie the Pooh characters alongside Xi Jinping and Barack Obama. AFP/Weibo

After memes grew online to mock the communist regime leader, the famous character was banned in China.

“Authoritarian regimes are often touchy, yet the backlash is confusing since the government is effectively squashing a potential positive, and organic, public image campaign for Xi,” said a report by Global Risk Insights at the time.

Former ‘Little Pinko’ Waking Up 

Aaron, who described himself as “a typical overseas Chinese student,” said he used to be a little pinko (another term for a CCP supporter) himself.

“Generally, those who [were educated and] come out under this system love the Party,” he said.

However, Aaron said he woke up to what was happening in China after an incident in Jiangsu Province in 2016 when the provincial authorities gave some of the province’s Gaokao quotas to several western provinces.

In China, Gaokao, the national college entrance exam, determines not only which college a student can enter but usually his/her future career and whole life.

High school students go through exam papers ahead of the annual "Gaokao," or college entrance examinations, in Handan City, Hebei Province, China, on May 23, 2018. AFP/Getty Images

“You know how difficult Gaokao is in Jiangsu. Even places with abundant educational resources like Beijing and Shanghai did not give [their quotas to those provinces],” he continued.

“A lot of parents gathered in front of the Jiangsu Provincial Education Department and the provincial government to protest. I was among them at that time as well.

“It was about the third day, and all the parents just ‘disappeared.’”

Proving CCP Wrong 

Aaron said he aims to get more fence-sitters, people who don’t know what’s going on, and other ‘little pinkos’ to come out and learn about what’s happening in their country.

“My goal is to draw them in and get them to understand what’s going on right now, so I thought I'd catch their eye better with this outfit,” he said.

Shipped from China, the Winnie-the-Pooh costume cost him over $200 (about US$140) in total.

Over 100 Chinese students organized a protest to oppose the CCP's "Zero-COVID" policy and dictatorial rule at Town Hall, Sydney, on Nov. 28, 2022. Ling Xiao/ Epoch Times

While many offered donations, the lad chose to pay for all protesting equipment, including the stereo and boards, by himself.

He explained that it’s because the White Paper movement and a lot of movements in China before were all stigmatized by the CCP as being foreign interference.

“[They said] they were foreign power, receiving money from foreign powers who want to destroy China..,” he said.

“I want to prove through this form of self-funding that I did not receive money for this matter.”

Travel Along the East Coast to Attend Rallies

Based in Sydney, Aaron drove to Melbourne and Brisbane to attend pro-democracy rallies with the outfit.

“I come forward this time because those brave students, brave young people in China, all come forward now,” he said.

“They are risking, not to say their lives, at least going in [prison] for a few months, or ruining their future and being expelled from the school and so on… [They’re] risking these to stand up to this matter. I am in a safe place. I have no reason to hide behind.”

“Someone needs to come forward on this issue; otherwise, China’s democratization will never move forward,” he said.

Although not sure how much of an impact he can bring, Aaron said he had to live up to his conscience.

“I don’t know if others will come forward, so I did,” he said.

White Paper Revolution Brings Hope

The recent scene of large groups of people protesting, which is seldom seen in China since the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989, has brought hope to Aaron, whose family is still in China.

“I personally feel that the older generation of Chinese will not stand up for rebellion as long as they have a mouthful to eat, but this group of young people in China now gives me hope. They are not exactly the same as the old generation,” he said.

“They know to rebel, and this revolution has made them know the good of resistance,” he said, referring to the CCP’s recent relaxation of COVID policies in response to the White Paper protest.

Aaron, who dressed as Winnie-the-Pooh, stood with another protestor who dressed as anti-epidemic personnel in China. Supplied

He concluded the interview by saying that what the Chinese protesters are demanding now is nothing excessive.

“The White paper Revolution this time included, what we are pursuing is actually written in China’s law, in China’s constitution,” he said.

“There’s nothing wrong with China’s laws. The problem with China is that they don’t follow the laws.”