Hong Kong Economic Times reported on Monday that Meituan, China's largest food delivery platform, has begun hiring delivery crew in Hong Kong, indicating that the company's food delivery service will be launched in the city soon.

According to the company's open positions, different delivery personnel, including those on motorcycles, bicycles, and on foot, are needed.

To attract more drivers to enroll, Meituan offers a special welcome bonus: for drivers who complete their target order volume within 14 days, an additional HK$2,500 ($319.13) will be awarded.

Last October, Meituan was reportedly considering expanding food delivery service outside mainland China, with Hong Kong as its first stop. Tony Qiu, an executive hired from Kuaishou Technology, China's second-largest short-video app, was said to lead Meituan's international operations.

According to Chinese tech news outlet LatePost, it's not the first time that Meituan has set its sights on Hong Kong. In the first half of 2018, the company had intended to begin operations in Hong Kong, but the expansion was put on hold because electric bikes are not allowed in the Special Administrative Region. In the mainland, the majority of drivers rely on two-wheeled electric vehicles to fulfill orders.

With a population of 7.48 million, Hong Kong is a highly competitive food delivery market with both international and local firms present. Major players in the city include Foodpanda from Germany, Deliveroo from the United Kingdom, and Eatojoy and Klook from Hong Kong.

According to Measurable AI’s transactional consumer panel, in the first half of 2022, Foodpanda led the Hong Kong food delivery market in terms of revenue in the first half of 2022, with approximately 63%, compared to Deliveroo's 34%.

China's consumer-facing tech companies are seeking overseas expansion as growth in the mainland market has slowed.  Shanghai-based e-commerce platform Pinduoduo recently Pinduoduo launched its cross-border shopping website Temu in the US, marking its first overseas foray.