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 * OEI PERRY   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) General Counsel (Last) (First) (Middle) 777 NORTH BROADWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/22/2013 (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 03/22/2013   M(1)   2,988 A $ 0 2,988 D   Common Stock 03/25/2013   S(2)   1,303 D $ 20.18 1,685 D

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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

Stock Option

$ 24.8

11/20/2004(3)

11/20/2013

Common Stock

20,080

20,080

D

Stock Option

$ 37

02/17/2006(3)

02/17/2015

Common Stock

6,000

26,080

D

Stock Option

$ 36.24

01/25/2007(3)

01/25/2016

Common Stock

5,500

31,580

D

Stock Option

$ 23.37

02/21/2009(3)

02/21/2018

Common Stock

5,500

37,080

D

Restricted Stock Units

$ 0 (4)

03/22/2013

M

2,988

(5)

(5)

Common Stock

2,988

$ 0

37,080

D

Restricted Stock Units

(6)

(7)

(7)

Common Stock

3,776

40,856

D

Restricted Stock Units

(6)

(8)

(8)

Common Stock

596

41,452

D

Restricted Stock Units

(6)

(9)

(9)

Common Stock

4,186

45,638

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
OEI PERRY 777 NORTH BROADWAY LOS ANGELES, CA 90012			General Counsel

Signatures

Perry Oei		04/01/2013
**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)	Represents the conversion into Common Stock upon vesting of the restricted stock units reported on Table II.
(2)	These sales were effected to satisfy the reporting person's tax withholding obligations with respect to the vesting of the restricted stock units.
(3)	The option is fully exercisable.
(4)	Each restricted stock unit represented a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of the Issuer.
(5)	The reporting person previously reported the award of 2,988 shares of restricted stock units on Form 4 filed March 25, 2011. All of these restricted stock units vested on March 22, 2013.
(6)	Consists of long term restricted stock units within the meaning of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder ("EESA"). Each unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of CATY Common Stock.
(7)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 15, 2013, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.
(8)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on May 8, 2014, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.
(9)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 20, 2014, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.

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