A zinc phosphate coating film suitable for cationic electrodeposition coating and superior in both of coating film adhesion and corrosion resistance (especially, warm brine resistance and scab resistance) is formed by a conversion treatment of a metal surface using an acidic zinc-phosphating solution which does not contain a nickel ion as an essential component. The conversion treatment is carried out by bringing a metal surface into contact with a zinc-phosphating solution containing a zinc ion of 0.1 to 2.0 g/l, a phosphate ion of 5 to 40 g/l, a lanthanum compound of 0.001 to 3 g/l in terms of a lanthanum metal, and a phosphating accelerator, thereby the zinc phosphate coating film is formed on the metal surface.