Opera Software, a Norwegian company behind one of the world's most popular browsers, says Chinese investors have made a $1.2 billion takeover offer, causing its stock to jump more than 30 percent.

Opera says its board has unanimously recommended that shareholders approve the deal by the Golden Brick Silk Road investment fund and other Chinese investors.

A company statement Wednesday said shareholders representing some 33 percent of Opera shares have committed to accepting the offer.

Opera, which began in 1991 as a research project at Norway's largest telecoms company, Telenor, later became Opera Software. It developed the Opera browser, now among the top six global browsers with some 350 million users.

Opera Software shares shot up 36 percent to 66.90 kroner in early afternoon trading in Oslo.

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