Any clue as to the whereabouts of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has always attracted widespread attention and triggered various interpretations at home and abroad.

On Saturday, Li started a three-day inspection of Gansu province, a poor region in northwestern China, not long after his appointment as head of the Leadership Group for China's Western Development Strategy in July.

Li's current visit sends a clear message that China cares greatly about its western region, hoping to bring the nation's less-developed areas out of poverty, narrowing the gap with the coastal areas.