Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Tuesday expressed happiness over the agreement reached between India and China to reopen the trade route between the two neighbours through the Nathu Pass in the state.

Thanking Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for succeeding in reviving the route, Chamling said he was satisfied to see that one of his government's long-pending demands had been fulfilled.

"As far as Sikkim is concerned the reopening of the trade route will give tremendous boost to the promotion of tourism and increase the commercial and export-oriented activities in this region," the chief minister said.

Chamling hoped that this decision would help Sikkim become a hub of business activities in the Northeast.