Premier Li Keqiang (C) and officials pay a silent tribute in a memorial ceremony held in Ya'an, Sichuan province on April 24, 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Premier Li Keqiang stood in silent tribute on Sunday in a memorial ceremony held in Ya'an, Sichuan province, where a 7.0-magnitude Lushan earthquake occurred three years ago.

Li walked slowly onto the staircase in front of the memorial museum in Lushan county, bent down and placed a flower on the memorial table. The names of those people killed by the earthquake are engraved on the table.

Li bowed in front of the memorial table and paid a silent tribute for a minute.

The premier arrived in Ya'an on Sunday to inspect the reconstruction works of the quake-hit region.

Seeing that the farmers are working in their kiwi fruit farmland and their houses have already been rebuilt in Duogong township of Tianquan county, Li praised the reconstruction works, saying that it is "real beautiful" there.

The Lushan earthquake, which occurred on April 20, 2013, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and left more than 196 people dead and 21 others missing.

It was the first serious natural disaster that Li faced after he was elected as Premier in March 2013. His plane headed to the quake-jolted region only five hours after the disaster occurred.