Chinese online gaming company Shanda (SNDA) says its subsidiary Shanda Literature is enhancing its management team and has unveiled a new arm devoted to literature research in China.

SDL currently operates three online literary websites including qidian.com, hongxiu.com and jjwxc.com.

Zhou Hongli, former minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, has joined SDL as its chief copyright officer. Zhou has nearly 30 years of experience as a senior government official for the culture industry, holding various positions including deputy chief editor for Jilin People's Publishing House, deputy chief for Press and Publication Bureau in Jilin province, and director for external affairs at China's General Administration of Press and Publication. Prior to joining SDL, Zhou spent four years at China Publishing Group as vice president.

"The chief copyright officer plays an important role in SDL's future growth," said SDL's CEO Hou Xiaoqiang. "As China's publication industry develops, SDL will continue to accumulate intellectual property rights to the literary works that it owns. Mr. Zhou will assist SDL to protect and maximize the value of its intellectual property rights."

SDL also announced the establishment of Shanda Literature Research Institute, and Chinese literary critic Xia Lie was appointed as the executive deputy director of the institute.