VIA is looking overseas for strategic alliances to extend its chipset and microprocessor business.

To that end, the company will issue some 60 million shares next month to raise around $625 million - based on yesterday's closing price of NT$334 ($10.44) a share - to fund investment in technology companies.

The shares will be issued as American Depositary Receipts. A March issue is on the cards, though VIA may delay the plan if the "market condition" isn't favourable, a spokesman said, cited by Reuters.

Who VIA will take a stake in remains to be seen - certainly the spokesman was mum on possible investments. ®