According to CNET, VIA feels brave enough to introduce a chipset for Intel Pentium 4 processor during a computer show in Germany next month, without formal permission from Intel, which they have been hunting for all this time. Since VIA failed to get a favour from Intel, the company is pretty much worried about Intel granting Pentium 4 bus licenses to VIA’s competitors, such as ALi, for instance, which plans to start mass production of their new chipset in the third quarter.
However, VIA claims that they aren’t violating anything. Here is a quote:

While Via has not signed an agreement with Intel to use patents related to the Pentium 4, the Taiwan company said it can produce chipsets for the processor because it has coverage from a joint venture with S3 Inc. that gives it the right to use Intel patents, said Frank Jeng, marketing manager at Via.

Therefore, VIA plans to launch a chipset for the Pentium 4 by the end of the first quarter, during the CeBIT computer trade show in Hanover starting March 22.
Well, there is only one question left then: why on earth did they strive for this license so much then?