'Big Four' banks sweep the Forbes list

The slowing economy is not affecting Chinese companies' growing global prominence, with the nation's four biggest banks sweeping the top slots on the Forbes Global 2000 list of public companies.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd stayed in first place for the third year, while Bank of China Ltd took over from JPMorgan Chase & Co as the fourth-largest company on the business magazine's list. The other two "Big Four" banks - China Construction Bank Corp and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd - ranked second and third, respectively.

Companies based in the Chinese mainland, especially banks, are playing a major role on the global stage. That is especially true in the banking sector, which is helping finance construction projects around the world, many of them undertaken by Chinese companies.