Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Kim Lisa L.	2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 4/19/2018	3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP [CATY]
(Last)        (First)        (Middle) 777 NORTH BROADWAY	4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                            _____ 10% Owner ___ X ___ Officer (give title below)          _____ Other (specify below) EVP, General Counsel /
(Street) LOS ANGELES, CA 90012        (City)              (State)              (Zip)	5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	1555	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Units	(2)	(2)	Common Stock	3951   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)	(5)	Common Stock	453	(6)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(2)	(2)	Common Stock	3706   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(3)	(3)	Common Stock	1730   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(3)	(3)	Common Stock	3324   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(3)	(3)	Common Stock	1662   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(4)	(4)	Common Stock	1699   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(4)	(4)	Common Stock	1614   (1)	(1)	D
Restricted Stock Units	(4)	(4)	Common Stock	3198   (1)	(1)	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock uppn vesting. The number of restricted stock units that are earned can be reduced by up to 100% of the target award or increased by up to 150% of the target award, depending upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(2)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 31, 2018, subject to continued employment, but may vest to some extent earlier in the event of death, disability, retirement after December 31, 2017 or a change in control, with the number of units earned being based on the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(3)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 31, 2019, subject to continued employment, but may vest to some extent earlier in the event of death, disability, retirement after December 31, 2018 or a change in control, with the number of units earned being based on the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(4)	These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 31, 2020, subject to continued employment, but may vest to some extent earlier in the event of death, disability, retirement after December 31, 2019 or a change in control, with the number of units earned being based on the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(5)	On March 9, 2018, the Issuer granted 453 restricted stock units to the Reporting Person that vested in full on the date of the grant, and shares of common stock will distribute to the Reporting Person on the first anniversary of the date of the grant, or immediately upon the death, disability or retirement of the Reporting Person, or a change in control of the Issuer.
(6)	Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of the Issuer.

Remarks: Power of Attorney Attached.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Kim Lisa L. 777 NORTH BROADWAY LOS ANGELES, CA 90012			EVP, General Counsel

Signatures
/s/ Georgia Lo, attorney-in-fact		4/26/2018
** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.