To what do the Big Four Chinese banks owe their success and how do they compare to their international peer banks? Prof. Horst Löchel from our Economics Department speaks of his experience with the Chinese financial system and the developments he foresees in the banking sector. Here his answers to the following questions: 1. To what do the Big Four Chinese banks owe their success? 2. What triggered financial reforms and what were their effects on state-owned banks? 3. How can low efficiency lead to high profitability? 4. How do Chinese banks compare to international peer banks? 5. Which are the developments you foresee in the banking sector? 6. What is shadow banking? 7. How could this research be continued?