It’s one of the biggest accolades for those in show business.

And now, a famous Chinese TV and film director has been awarded the elite honor.

CGTN’s Frances Kuo has more on how he joins a growing group of Chinese making a name in Hollywood.

It’s a tradition that goes back decades outside Los Angeles’ famous Chinese Theater.

Chinese Director Gao Xixi joined the ranks of the TV and filmmaking’s elite and cemented his place in Hollywood history.

“In Chinese we say, ‘you have to start with baby steps before walking a thousand miles,” said Gao.  “In 20 years, I have walked a thousand miles, step by step, to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In this celebrity-packed venue, I will leave the mark of a Chinese filmmaker. This is my own big footprint.”

Gao’s large footprint is imprinted in more than 50 hit television programs and movies he’s directed in China, including the romance film “For Love or Money” and the biographical TV series, Mao Zedong.

Gao’s honor reflects Tinseltown’s increasing recognition for those in the Chinese film and TV industries.

In 2013, Feng Xiaogang became the first filmmaker from China to receive recognition at the Chinese Theater.

In that same year, action film star Jackie Chan did too.  Chan has been one of the few Chinese stars who’ve enjoyed commercial success in Hollywood.

Director Gao hopes that will change and that China and the U.S. will collaborate even more in the future.

“Actually I think we should pay more respect to Hollywood,” said Gao.  “We should continue to study and explore the framework and structure of Hollywood narratives and learn from their experiences. In recent years, this has led to all kinds of cooperation between Chinese and U.S. film and television. On the road leading to world cinema, we should learn from each other.”