i don't know a whole lot or as much as i should about the u.s. federal reserve/banking system [beyond how much $ i lost when wall street collapsed] - BUT - this recent event has me greatly concerned!

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has been given the nod to take over a US bank, the first such US approval for a Chinese firm.
The US Federal Reserve approved state-owned ICBC's plans to acquire the US subsidiary of Bank of East Asia.
BBC News - ICBC gets approval to take over US bank

The US central bank said Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the biggest bank in China and 70.7pc owned by the government of China, will become a bank holding company.
In addition, China Investment Corporation (CIC), an investment vehicle set up by the Chinese government to invest its massive foreign exchange reserves, and another company that CIC controls called Huijin Investment will be allowed to become bank holdings companies.
They will become holding companies by taking control of The Bank of East Asia in New York, the first time a Chinese bank has been approved to acquire a US bank.
Federal Reserve allows Chinese-controlled banks to take stakes in US banks - Telegraph

chachacha - i don't think there is anything to worry about re bb&t coming to clolny plaza:
BB&T - Company Information