UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 1420, 2003

GBC BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

California	0-16213	95-3586596
(State or other Jurisdiction incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer of Identification No.)

800 West 6th Street, Los Angeles,

California 90017

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code 213/972-~~4293~~4104

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.

Item 5. Other Events

On October 1420, 2003, GBC Bancorp issued a press release ~~calling~~announcing ~~for~~number ~~redemption~~of ~~$40~~outstanding ~~million~~shares 8and ~~3/8%~~merger ~~subordinated~~consideration for ~~notes~~Cathay Merger.

A copy of the ~~joint~~ press release filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K is attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)Exhibits

99.1 Press Release dated October 1420, 2003

GBC BANCORP ~~CALLS~~ANNOUNCES ~~FOR~~NUMBER ~~REDEMPTION~~OF ~~$40~~OUTSTANDING ~~MILLION~~SHARES 8AND ~~3/8%~~MERGER ~~SUBORDINATED~~CONSIDERATION FOR ~~NOTES~~CATHAY MERGER

~~Los Angeles, October 14, 2003 -~~ GBC Bancorp (Nasdaq: GBCB) announced today that the number of outstanding ~~announced~~shares that iswill ~~has~~be ~~called~~used ~~for~~in ~~redemption~~determining ~~all~~the payment of the ~~$40~~consideration ~~million~~to ~~aggregate~~GBC ~~principal~~Bancorp ~~amount~~shareholders ofin ~~its~~connection 8with the pending merger with Cathay Bancorp, Inc.~~375%~~(Nasdaq: ~~Subordinated~~CATY) ~~Notes~~will ~~due~~be ~~2007~~11,979,916 atshares. This aamount ~~redemption~~includes ~~price~~all ofshares ~~101%~~issued upon exercise of ~~their~~options ~~principal~~immediately ~~amount~~prior to the merger, ~~plus~~as ~~accrued~~well as ~~interest~~79,001 toshares held in a rabbi trust, and assumes that the ~~redemption~~merger ~~date.~~will close, ~~The~~as ~~redemption~~scheduled, ~~date~~following isthe ~~November 10~~close of trading on Monday October 20, 2003.

The total merger consideration to be paid to GBC shareholders is valued at $478,030,000. This consists of $162.4 million in cash, plus stock consideration of 6,750,000 shares of Cathay Bancorp, Inc. common stock, valued at the $46.76 per share closing price of Cathay Bancorp on Friday, October 17, 2003.

ABOUT GBC BANCORP

GBC Bancorp is the one-bank holding company for General Bank, a California state-chartered bank that commenced operations in March 1980. General Bank serves individuals and small to medium-sized businesses through 18 branch offices located in the greater Los Angeles, San Diego, and Silicon Valley areas of California, a branch office in the state of Washington and two branches in Massachusetts. In addition, the Bank's subsidiary, GBC Investment & Consulting Company, Inc., maintains an office in Taipei. GBC Bancorp's website is found at http://www.generalbank.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements made in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, such words as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "may," "will, ""should," "could," "predicts," "potential," "continue,"" or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements, of ~~both~~the ~~companies~~company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, factors discussed from time to time in reports filed by GBC Bancorp with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and GBC Bancorp does not assume any obligation to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date: October 1420, 2003

GBC BANCORP

By: /s/ Peter Lowe

Peter Lowe

E.V.P & C.F.O.

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