Not sure why parent is being downvoted. I personally know several rich (corrupt?) people from China who have bought or are actively shopping for homes here in the SF bay area. They still work & live in China, but from what they've told me, their goal is to

1) Buy a house for their kids studying in the US; 2) Launder their money; 3) Own a property outside of China as an investment; 4) Have a safe house in case they need to flee the country.

The bay area is a popular choice for such people due to the high concentration of Chinese immigrants / Chinese Americans already living here.

I'm not passing judgement, just presenting facts from personal experience.