diff --git a/python/dist/BUILD.bazel b/python/dist/BUILD.bazel
--- a/python/dist/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/python/dist/BUILD.bazel
@@ -10,1 +10,0 @@
-load("@protobuf_pip_deps//:requirements.bzl", "requirement")
@@ -14,1 +13,0 @@
-load("@system_python//:version.bzl", "SYSTEM_PYTHON_VERSION")
@@ -308,1 +306,1 @@
-    data = [requirement("setuptools")],
+    data = [],
@@ -370,1 +368,1 @@
-        "//conditions:default": "cp" + SYSTEM_PYTHON_VERSION,
+        "//conditions:default": "cp312",
diff --git a/python/dist/dist.bzl b/python/dist/dist.bzl
--- a/python/dist/dist.bzl
+++ b/python/dist/dist.bzl
@@ -4,1 +4,0 @@
-load("@system_python//:version.bzl", "SYSTEM_PYTHON_VERSION")
@@ -19,2 +18,2 @@
     if python_version == "system":
-        python_version = SYSTEM_PYTHON_VERSION
+        python_version = "312"