FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Tai Pin   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP [CATY] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) CEO & President (Last) (First) (Middle) 777 NORTH BROADWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/01/2018 (Street) LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/01/2018   M(1)   8,639 A $ 0 35,380 D   Common Stock 03/01/2018   F(2)   2,988 D $ 41.22 32,392 D   Common Stock               863.41 I By ESOP

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Units

(3)

03/01/2018

A

5,024

(4)

(4)

Common Stock

5,024

$ 0

5,024

D

Restricted Stock Units

(1)

03/01/2018

M

7,274 (5)

(6)

(6)

Common Stock

7,274

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Tai Pin 777 NORTH BROADWAY LOS ANGELES, CA 90012			CEO & President

Signatures

/s/ Georgia Lo, attorney-in-fact		03/05/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares of the Issuer's Common Stock received by the Reporting Person from the vesting of performance-based restricted stock units granted on December 18, 2014. Such restricted stock units were previously reported in Table II on a Form 4 filed by the Reporting Person with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 24, 2014.
(2)	Shares withheld by Registrant to satisfy minimum statutory withholding requirements on vesting of restricted stock units.
(3)	Each restricted stock unit represented a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock upon vesting, subject to adjustment in accordance with the award agreement and the Cathay General Bancorp 2005 Incentive Plan, as amended and restated.
(4)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in 3 annual equal installments beginning March 1, 2019, or earlier in the event of death, disability, retirement, or change in control.
(5)	Of the previously reported target award of 7,274 shares of restricted stock unit, 110.641% of the target award was earned based upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(6)	Performance-based restricted stock units vested on December 31, 2017.

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