COVERED ASSETS AND FDIC INDEMNIFICATION ASSET (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Covered Nonperforming Assets
Covered nonaccrual loans	$ 193,088,000	[1],[2]		$ 194,506,000	[1],[2]
Total nonperforming loans	193,088,000			194,506,000
Other real estate owned covered, net	55,586,000			63,624,000
Total covered nonperforming assets	248,674,000			258,130,000
Changes in the accretable yield for the covered loans
Balance at beginning of period	785,165,000		1,153,272,000
Accretion	(25,606,000)		(58,680,000)
Changes in expected cash flows	(62,893,000)		(26,476,000)
Balance at end of period	696,666,000		1,068,116,000
Covered assets - other disclosures
Amount of loans removed from the covered loans accounted under ASC 310-30, excluding scheduled principal payments	219,600,000		242,100,000
Loan discount related to payoffs and removals of loans	4,100,000		29,000,000
Covered OREO Properties
Covered Nonperforming Assets
Number of covered OREO properties	83			82
Number of covered OREO properties added during the period	26
Aggregate carrying value of covered OREO properties added during the period	13,200,000
Net writedowns included in aggregate carrying value on covered OREO properties	6,500,000
Number of covered OREO properties sold during the period	25
Total proceeds value of covered OREO properties sold during the period	16,100,000
Combined net gains (losses) on covered OREO properties sold during the period	$ 1,400,000
Covered OREO Properties | Geographic Concentration | California
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	63.00%
Covered OREO Properties | Geographic Concentration | Washington
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	20.00%
United Commercial Bank (UCB)
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	94.00%
Number of general geographic regions	3
United Commercial Bank (UCB) | Geographic Concentration | California
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	64.00%
United Commercial Bank (UCB) | Geographic Concentration | Hong Kong
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	10.00%
United Commercial Bank (UCB) | Geographic Concentration | New York
Credit Risk and Concentrations
Percent of total	11.00%

[1] Represents principal balance net of discount.

[2] Covered nonaccrual loans meet the criteria for nonaccrual but have a yield accreted through interest income under ASC 310-30.