Bike-sharing giant Mobike Technology Ltd, which handles 25 million rides a day in China, looks to be preparing to put riders on its bikes in the US capital, based on its hiring plans in the area.

One of the jobs Mobike posted on professional networking site LinkedIn is for an operations manager, based in Washington, who would need to get to know "the local environment" and "be the main point of contact for the regional government officials and transport authorities", according to The Wall Street Journal.

"We understand there has been market speculation about Mobike's growth plans," Xue Huang, Mobike's head of communication, said in an email reply without confirming the company's plans. "Before we enter any new city, we invest considerable time engaging with local regulators and communities to understand how our smart bike solution can best help address local market needs."