BEIJING --- Chinese weather balloon manufacturer Zhuzhou Rubber Research & Design Institute said it had no connection to the balloon shot down by the United States earlier this month and was not a military company. Zhuzhou Rubber, a unit of Chinese state chemical giant ChemChina, said it "is mainly engaged in manufacturing sounding balloons of natural latex in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations." "Our products are used for daily weather forecasting by weather stations, and do NOT have any connection with the so-called and reported U.S. balloon incident," it said in a statement posted on ChemChina's website. READ: US military completes recovery of Chinese...Keep on reading: Chinese weather balloon maker denies connection to downed spy balloon