China's US-born double gold medallist Eileen Gu has said that she will be an ambassador for Salt Lake City's Winter Olympics bid, sparking both anger and support on social media in China.

Born in California to an American father and Chinese mother, the freestyle skier switched to represent China in 2019 and captured the hearts of the host nation at the Beijing Games in February.

The 18-year-old, who won two golds and a silver, explained she often wanted to inspire young Chinese women.

Announcing her role with Salt Lake at a Time magazine event, she said skiing and her position with the bid committee was a “beautiful example of globalism".

Gu’s passport status has come under scrutiny. China does not officially allow dual citizenship, and she has never clarified if she still holds American citizenship, or if she actually had a Chinese passport.

Her support for a US bid prompted mixed reactions on Chinese social media.

She quickly became one of the top trending topics on Weibo, where some questioned her motivation for competing for China.

However, others were more supportive, with one popular comment praising her "international influence as a Chinese athlete".

Salt Lake is bidding for the 2030 Winter Olympics along with Sapporo, Japan, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Spain has also expressed interest.

The International Olympic Committee is expected to name the venue at meetings in May 2023 in Mumbai, India. (AFP/AP)