Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

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

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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 * CHEN HENG W	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) EVP/CFO
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 777 NORTH BROADWAY	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 4/1/2020
(Street) LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. 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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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	4/1/2020		M(1)		5651	A	$0	117338	D
Common Stock	4/1/2020		M(2)		10938	A	$0	128276	D
Common Stock	4/1/2020		M(3)		5469	A	$0	133745	D
Common Stock	4/1/2020		F(4)		7630	D	$21.68	126115	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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	(5)	4/1/2020		M			3461 (1)	(6)	(6)	Common Stock	0	$0	0	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)	4/1/2020		M			6648 (2)	(6)	(6)	Common Stock	0	$0	0	D
Restricted Stock Units	(5)	4/1/2020		M			3324 (3)	(6)	(6)	Common Stock	0	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Of the previously reported target award of 3,461 shares of performance-based restricted stock units, 148% of the target award was earned based upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(2)	Of the previously reported target award of 6,648 shares of performance-based restricted stock units, 150% of the target award was earned based upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(3)	Of the previously reported target award of 3,324 shares of performance-based restricted stock units, 150% of the target award was earned based upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.
(4)	Shares withheld by Registrant to satisfy tax withholding requirement on vesting of restricted stock units.
(5)	Shares of the Issuer's Common Stock received by the Reporting Person from the vesting of performance-based restricted stock units granted on December 15, 2016. 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 19, 2016.
(6)	Performance-based restricted stock units vested on December 31, 2019.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CHEN HENG W 777 NORTH BROADWAY LOS ANGELES, CA 90012			EVP/CFO

Signatures
/s/ Georgia Lo, attorney-in-fact		4/3/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date