China's Eileen Gu takes criticism head on: 'I'm not trying to solve political problems right now'

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

China’s Eileen Gu talked to reporters on Thursday following the qualifying round in the ski halfpipe, in which she hopes to make history with a third medal.

The 18-year-old American-born skier who chose to represent China in the 2022 Winter Olympics answered questions about her nationality and goals for the future.

LIVE UPDATES: BEIJING OLYMPICS

Ailing Eileen Gu, of China, adjusts her hat during the women's freestyle skiing slopestyle medal ceremony at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

"People sometimes don't know what to do with other people when they're not fitting in a box," she told reporters. "They say, ‘Is she Chinese? Is she American? Is she a model? Is she a student? Why is she trying to change the world when she’s only 18?’"

Gu had been under the microscope for deciding to compete for China over the U.S. Born to a Chinese mother, Gu estimates she's spent at least a quarter of her life in China. Her origin story, as she tells it, begins with the time she pitched the idea for China's first slopestyle ski event at age 9 — and won.

Since choosing to side with China in 2019, she has said repeatedly that her goal is to encourage girls and women to take up winter sports — aligning with China's pledge to inspire 300 million to hit the ice or snow.

China's Eileen Gu competes during the women's halfpipe qualification at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

On Thursday, she told reports she wasn’t trying to solve the world’s problems.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"I'm not trying to solve