ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif left for a two-day visit to China on Saturday, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

Gen Raheel would meet China's political and military leadership to discuss issues pertaining to security and defence cooperation between the two countries, a defence source told Dawn.

The army chief would apprise Chinese leadership of successes achieved in Operation Zarb-i-Azb, during which the network of East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) — a militant organisation founded by Uighurs in Western China — has also been destroyed.

Pakistan and China enjoy close military and defence ties and both countries often take part in joint military and air exercises.