among friends and acquaintances from Asia (incl. Taiwan & China), WtP has been a symbol of resistance against Xi Jin Ping and authoritarianism in China.

You answered your own question. Don’t let them get under your skin. But to further validate you:

The comparison is about appearances to Xi, specifically. No one is saying the people of China look like Winnie the Pooh, and no one is using Winnie the Pooh in propaganda designed to oppress the people of China.

Tankie’s scream “racism” at Winnie the Pooh, exactly the same way MAGA’s scream "racism’ at DEI. They do not know, nor care, what the word actually means, and are using it to further their agenda by taking a position they can fallacious argue is morally superior. It is fake pearl clutching and moral grandstanding to justify nationalist fascism.

They’re literally Chinese MAGA. Unfortunately, MACA doesn’t roll off the tongue as well as “tankie.”