BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A reception was held Wednesday for ethnic groups in Beijing ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Cao Jianming, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, delivered a speech at the event.

Cao stressed further efforts to help areas with large ethnic minority populations win the decisive battle against poverty, build a firm sense of community for the Chinese nation, and adhere to governing ethnic affairs in accordance with the law, in order to make new contributions to realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

The event was jointly held by the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China, the ethnic affairs committee of the NPC, the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, and other departments.

The Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 25 this year.