âOh, botherâ: Winnie the Pooh falls foul of Chinese internet censors | World news
Has Winnie the Pooh done something to anger Chinaâs censors?
Some mentions of AA Milneâs loveable but slow-witted bear with a weakness for honey have been blocked on Chinese social networks.
Authorities did not explain the clampdown, but the self-described âbear of very little brainâ has been used in past memes comparing him to the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
Posts bearing the image and the Chinese characters for Winnie the Pooh were still permitted on the Weibo social media platform on Monday. But comments referencing âLittle Bear Winnieâ â" Poohâs Chinese name â" turned up error messages saying the user could not proceed because âthis content is illegalâ.
Winnie the Pooh stickers have also been removed from WeChatâs official sticker gallery, but user-generated gifs of the bear are still available on the popular messaging app.
Comparisons between Xi and Pooh first emerged in 2013, after Chinese social media users began circulating pictures of Pooh and his slender tiger friend Tigger beside a photograph of Xi walking with Barack Obama, the US president at the time.
In 2014, a photograph of Xi shaking hands with the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was matched with an image of Pooh gripping the hoof of his gloomy donkey friend Eeyore.
In 2015, the political analysis portal Global Risk Insights said a picture of Xi standing up through the roof of a parade car paired with an image of a Winnie the Pooh toy car was âChinaâs most censored photoâ of the year.
Chinaâs ruling Communist party is highly sensitive to comical depictions of its leader, particularly as Xi attempts to consolidate power ahead of a key party congress later this year.
On Monday, many Chinese social media users were testing the boundaries of the restrictions imposed on the bear who groans âoh, botherâ when things donât go his way.
âPoor little Winnie,â one Weibo user wrote. âWhat did this adorable honey-loving bear ever do to provoke anyone?â
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