Kazakhstan is a member country of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. If you ask any Chinese person what they know about Kazakhstan, they would probably say Dimash. It's the name of a young Kazakh pop singer, who's a rising star in China. Our reporter He Weiwei met Dimash as he prepared for his concert in southern China's Shenzhen city.

This 24-year-old is from Kazakhstan and has quite the vocal talent. Born into a family of musical enthusiasts, he's won numerous competitions since the age of five and is regarded as a "national treasure" in Kazakhstan. But he never knew how famous he could be until he came to China in 2017 when invited to participate in one of China's most popular music TV shows Singer.

His name: Dimash Kudaibergen.

FAN OF DIMASH "I think with enough time, he's gonna be an international household name. What I like about Dimash is that he has an amazing voice, his vocal range, and the way he expresses himself beautifully when singing."

The program puts singers head-to-head. In the first episode, Dimash was victorious and continued with strong performances all the way up until the final, where he finished as the runner-up. According to statistics, the show had at least 1.7 billion views. This triggered enormous interest, with Dimash gaining a staggering 5 million followers on Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform.

DIMASH KUDAIBERGEN KAZAKH SINGER "I've been in China for a year and a half, I find Chinese people very friendly and hospitable. Every time I have a concert, my 'dears' come to the venue to support me, which I appreciate very much."

Dears, that's what Dimash calls his fans. And they call him their "adopted brother from Kazakhstan". But despite the country bordering China to the northwest, Kazakhstan remains to be a place that many Chinese people are unfamiliar with. Luckily for them, Dimash is changing that reality.

FAN OF DIMASH "It's only after I saw Dimash that I heard about Kazakhstan. I even tried to learn some Kazakh so I can sing his songs."

FAN OF DIMASH "I learned in school that it's a neighboring country of China. Now Dimash has become a connection between me and Kazakhstan. I want to travel there to have a look, it must be a beautiful place."

DIMASH KUDAIBERGEN KAZAKH SINGER "I feel responsible for making my own contribution to the friendship of the two countries. I know my Kazakh and Chinese fans are in close contact, and often organize activities together. It's music that makes this happen, brings the two countries closer. Music is beyond boundaries."

Dimash is therefore seen as an ambassador for cultural exchange between Kazakhstan and China. He's learning Chinese, while continuing to introduce Kazakh music to a wider world. HWW, CGTN, SHENZHEN.