TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Amid a mass exodus that has been described by netizens as the "iPhone Long March," this photo shows Foxconn workers fleeing a zero-COVID crackdown as a sign above flashes the words "always follow the party."

On Saturday (Oct. 29), multiple videos appeared on Chinese social media platforms Douyin and WeChat showed throngs of workers fleeing a cluster of iPhone assembly plants in Zhengzhou. The impetus for the exodus was a new COVID outbreak at the complex and the company's announcement of a 10-day closed-loop system announced on Friday (Oct. 28).

Among the images posted on Saturday was this still which shows a long line of Foxconn workers pulling their luggage as they leave the Foxconn facility. Netizens soon noticed that the digital sign above them ironically included the words "always follow the party," in reference to the guidance of the Chinese Communist Party.

The full sign read: "Welcome to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, always follow the party, and forge a new journey." 

The exit of the workers has been compared by some Chinese netizens to a famine in 1942 which saw over 1.5 million Henan residents march in search for food. An administrator for a Foxconn worker chat group surnamed Zhuo was cited by the Washington Post as saying that as many as 60,000 employees have fled.

Extraordinary videos have appeared to show truck drivers picking up large numbers of workers. However, a video that surfaced on Wednesday (Nov. 2) allegedly showed the quarantine tents awaiting the workers when they finally reached their hometowns.

#Foxconn workers in #Zhengzhou continue to escape from the #iPhone city on Nov 1. The dorms are empty, every has gone. Foxconn has increased the full attendance bonus to over 18K yuan ($2469) per month to encourage workers to stay. But they keep leaving. pic.twitter.com/n4L5G8tD1i

— Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 (@jenniferzeng97) November 2, 2022

In the days of "Foxconn Great Escape" from the iPhone factory in #china's Zhengzhou, many commercial drivers risked being criminally charged by CCP by picking up the Covid refugees on foot that are trying to reach for Freedom. pic.twitter.com/n30m8hOLJp

— Northrop Gundam (@GundamNorthrop) October 31, 2022

Many Foxconn 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕refugees who finally walked home in the countryside after the "iPhone Long March" reaching for Freedom only found themselves lost the Freedom again by being locked up in the quarantine concentration tents. pic.twitter.com/eu6SXLjeIt

— Northrop Gundam (@GundamNorthrop) November 1, 2022

The Great Escape of #Foxconn workers.#Zhengzhou, Henan province, CCPChina

Are you still waiting to get your #iPhone 14? You might have to wait longer!#CCP #CCPVirus #COVID #COVID19 #AmazingChina #China pic.twitter.com/oNCFqcjdmT

— Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 (@jenniferzeng97) November 2, 2022