Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  CHOW DONALD SANG
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/19/2008		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
EAST WEST BANCORP INC [EWBC]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
EAST WEST BANK, 135 N. LOS ROBLES AVE. 7TH FLOOR		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

PASADENA, CA 91101		 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 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)
Restricted Common Stock 51,506
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 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
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 01/16/2002(1) 01/16/2011 Common Stock 5,000 $ 12.0937 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 01/23/2003(2) 01/23/2012 Common Stock 16,000 $ 12.945 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 10/22/2003(3) 10/22/2009 Common Stock 200 $ 16.64 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 02/28/2004(4) 02/28/2010 Common Stock 1,000 $ 16.625 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 03/05/2005(5) 03/05/2011 Common Stock 1,000 $ 26.42 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 03/10/2007(6) 03/10/2012 Common Stock 5,315 $ 37.63 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 03/09/2008(7) 03/09/2013 Common Stock 5,424 $ 36.87 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 02/26/2009(8) 02/26/2014 Common Stock 6,460 $ 38.81 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 02/19/2010(9) 02/19/2015 Common Stock 8,535 $ 21.09 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
CHOW DONALD SANG
EAST WEST BANK
135 N. LOS ROBLES AVE. 7TH FLOOR
PASADENA, CA 91101		       Executive Vice President  

Signatures

Douglas P. Krause, Attorney-in-Fact 02/21/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on January 16, 2002.
(2) The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on January 23, 2003.
(3) The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on October 22, 2003.
(4) The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on February 28, 2004.
(5) The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on March 5, 2005.
(6) The options vest in three annual installments beginning on March 10, 2007.
(7) The options vest in three annual installments beginning on March 9, 2008.
(8) The options vest in three annual installments beginning on February 26, 2009.
(9) The options vest in three annual installments beginning on February 19, 2010.

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