These aren’t perfect times for foreign phone manufacturers trying to sell their products in China.

Samsung felt forced to apologize to Chinaabout how it handled its explosive Galaxy Note 7 recall.

Now Apple appears to have a slight issue.

As the BBC reports, some Chinese companies are trying to prevent employees from buying iPhone 7.

Do they worry that Apple’s new AirPods will make employees look like extraterrestrials? Are they concerned that the presence of two cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus will distract employees from being diligent?

It seems not.

Instead, these companies appear to be taking a stand against materialism or against foreign products.

The BBC cites the Nanyang Yongkang Medicine Company, which issued a notice to employees telling them they must not buy iPhone 7 or 7 Plus.

“If you break this rule, then just come to the office straight way to hand in your resignation,” the notice read.

Attempts to contact Nanyang Yongkang were unsuccessful. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, the notice was reportedly posted on September 18 because this is the 85th anniversary of Japan invading China. Nanyang Yonkang was said to be reminding employees of the need to be patriotic.

It isn’t the only Chinese organization that is discouraging Apple purchases. China.org reports a similar refrain from the Fuling Xinjiuzhou Gynecology Hospital in Chongqing.

Its notice reportedly reads in part: “The administrative office of the hospital has decided not to allow any staff members to buy the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 plus. Anyone who insists on purchasing one will be removed from candidacy for annual rewards of outstanding performances. And those who could not afford an iPhone 7 cell phone but still bought one will be asked to resign.”

This isn’t the first time that Chinesecompanies have asked employees to shun Apple. In July, Bina Technology, based in Zhejiang Province, ordered employees to toss away their iPhones. This was in protest to a ruling from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Tribunal within the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that denied China’s claims to the South China Sea.

In this case, Bina Technology offered money to employees for switching to another brand of phone. The same notice, however, did threaten to fire employees who bought iPhone 7.

Nationalistic sentiment about Apple products isn’t confined to China.

Republican nominee and noted Apple investor Donald Trump insists he’ll force Apple to bring all its manufacturing back from China to the US.

He even called for a boycott of all Apple products after the company refused to hack into a phone issued to one of the San Bernardino terrorists. He believed the company’s actions were against the national interest.

As for Nanyang Yongkang, its spokesman told the BBC that the ban on iPhone 7 was intended to get workers to focus on the family, rather than luxury items.

Oh, but families are so complicated and such hard work. iPhones, on the other hand, are so blessedly simple.