Editor's note: There is a rich abundance of stories depicting people-to-people exchanges between Shanghai Cooperation Organization cities. During a session held at the Global Mayors Dialogue?SCO Summit Cities in Tianjin on Tuesday, three individuals shared their stories of committing to such exchanges and building up mutual understanding between SCO countries. Anton Butov was one of them.

As a social media influencer who engages in foreign trade, Anton Butov has found not only business success but also cultural connections through his growing involvement with China and opportunities brought by cooperation among countries that are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

In 2015, Butov received an opportunity to come to Qingdao, Shandong province, as an exchange student. Five years later, he had not only passed Level 6 on the HSK Chinese language proficiency test, but also earned a master's degree in economics from the Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

He has since been busy introducing Chinese and Russian cultures as well as sharing his daily life in China to his roughly 5 million followers on social media platforms.

In 2019, Butov was invited to participate in a people-to-people exchange event organized by the SCO in Beijing.

"That experience changed me, and I realized that the SCO plays a crucial role for its member states — not only in trade, but also in cultural dialogue," he said.

"What's more important is that the SCO offers opportunities for ordinary people like me to participate in the organization and make small but meaningful contribution to exchanges among SCO countries."

Starting in 2020, he also began selling both Russian and Chinese goods on e-commerce platforms in both countries, from food and cosmetics to household cleaning products and even tourism-related items, which brought him great economic benefit.

Butov said trade between China and Russia has grown substantially over the past decade. Last year, bilateral trade volume exceeded $240 billion, compared with about $89 billion in 2013, he said.

China has become a much stronger player on the international stage, and via the SCO, it now acts as a stabilizer and accelerator, he noted.

He has also witnessed China's rapid development over the years.

"Sometimes, if you leave a city for just two or three months, you return to find a new bridge has been completed or a new highway has opened," he said.

For a foreigner living in China, each day brings new discoveries and surprises in different cities across the country, Butov said.

"I sincerely hope that more countries will join the SCO family, and more foreign friends will come to China, get on board the great ship of the SCO development and sail toward a brighter future together," he said.