Hong Kong's chief executive said on Tuesday that customs officers will learn from an incident in which they pressed unnecessary charges against a woman from the Chinese mainland who tried to take four cans of milk-flavored rice powder and two tins of infant milk powder over the border.

Customs authorities in Hong Kong admitted on Monday that they pressed unnecessary charges against the woman because they had misunderstood a newly enforced limit on the amount of baby formula allowed to be taken into the mainland.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said officers will learn from the incident and avoid mistakes in the future. He made the comments to media in Tianjin as he met with officials there.