IP BITES - Asia and Middle East Intellectual Property Update - Issue 2, 2026

We are delighted to present the second issue of our IP newsletter for 2026.

Greetings from sunny Thailand! I am writing this from Phuket where I have just spoken at the ASEAN IPA Annual General Meeting and Conference. The first quarter of 2026 has brought several significant IP developments across the region, including Saudi Arabia’s new Copyright Law, proposed amendments to the PRC Trademark Law, and Vietnam’s overhaul of copyright enforcement. Together, these changes underscore a continued regional push to modernise IP frameworks and strengthen rights-holder protection. This issue also features a spotlight on agentic AI and the corresponding IP risks, which was the focus on my presentation at the ASEAN IPA Conference.

- Sher Hann Chua, Counsel (England & Wales), Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong SAR